Step in Japan: Free Tokyo Office Space and Landing-Pad Support for EU SMEs
Step in Japan is the EU-Japan Centre's free landing pad for European SMEs: a Tokyo hot desk, meeting rooms, a business help desk, and an intercultural crash course, at no cost. What you get, who qualifies, and how to apply.
- Step in Japan is the EU-Japan Centre's free landing-pad scheme for EU-based SMEs entering or expanding in Japan
- You get a free hot desk in Tokyo on the Centre's premises (internet and phone) for up to one month, max two beneficiaries per time slot
- It also includes access to meeting and seminar facilities, a business help desk, Enterprise Europe Network support in Japan, and an intercultural crash course
- It is free because the Centre is funded by the European Commission and METI; you apply, you do not pay
- It removes the biggest early cost of a first Japan trip, a credible base, and pairs well with cultural readiness before you go
The most expensive part of a first Japan trip is not the flight. It is having nowhere credible to operate from, no desk, no meeting room, no local help desk, in a market where a serious base signals you are serious. The EU-Japan Centre solves this for European SMEs, for free, and almost nobody outside the programme knows it exists.
It is called Step in Japan. This guide explains exactly what you get and how to apply. It is published by Silkdrive, whose founder Patric Sawada is an accredited EU-Japan Centre expert.
What you get
Step in Japan is a free landing pad on the Centre's own Tokyo premises. The package:
- A free hot desk with internet and telephone, for up to one month (maximum two beneficiaries per time slot).
- Full access to the Centre's meeting and seminar facilities.
- A help desk for any question about doing business in Japan.
- Assistance using the Enterprise Europe Network service while you are in Japan.
- An intercultural crash course to prime you before your meetings.
It is free because the Centre is funded by the European Commission and METI. You apply; you do not pay. You cover your own travel and accommodation; the base and the support are provided.
Who it is for
SMEs based in the EU or a Single Market Programme associated country, planning to enter or expand within Japan. It is built for companies doing genuine market exploration or early setup, the trip where you are taking real meetings, not a scoping holiday.
How to apply
- Read the Centre's Step in Japan page for current eligibility and availability.
- Apply through the Centre. The published scheme contact is [email protected].
- Apply early. With a maximum of two beneficiaries per time slot, desks are limited; line your application up well ahead of your planned dates.
Make the time on the ground count
A desk in Tokyo only pays off if your calendar is full and your meetings land. What fills the calendar is your own outreach; what makes the meetings work is reading Japanese business norms correctly. Before you fly:
- Watch the Centre's free business culture webinars.
- Read our working guides on Japanese business culture, nemawashi decision-making, and the real cost and timeline of entering Japan.
- If your trip hinges on specific high-stakes meetings, a focused pre-trip readiness session is worth the half-day.
Step in Japan gives you the room. Cultural readiness gives you the results. Both start with the EU-Japan Centre, and the first one is free.
Author: Patric Sawada, Founder, Silkdrive. Accredited EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation expert; delivers the Centre's Market Access Workshops and business culture programming for European SMEs entering Japan. Based in Amsterdam. Read Patric's full profile.
