# Step in Japan: Free Tokyo Office Space 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. - **Source:** https://www.silkdrive.com/insights/step-in-japan-eu-smes - **Author:** Patric Sawada - **Published:** 2026-06-01 - **Category:** Cross-Cultural Marketing - **Topics:** step in japan, free office space tokyo, eu sme japan, landing pad japan, eu-japan centre tokyo, japan market entry ## Summary - 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 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. It costs you far more than the flight. The [EU-Japan Centre](https://www.eu-japan.eu/) 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 EU-Japan Centre expert. ## What you get [Step in Japan](https://www.eu-japan.eu/logistical-support-step-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 1. Read the [Centre's Step in Japan page](https://www.eu-japan.eu/logistical-support-step-japan) for current eligibility and availability. 2. Apply through the Centre. The published scheme contact is **StepInJapan@eu-japan.or.jp**. 3. **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 European founder and a Japanese business help-desk advisor reviewing plans together during a Step in Japan visit](/images/insights/step-in-japan-eu-smes-inline.webp) 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](/insights/eu-japan-centre-webinars). - Read our working guides on [Japanese business culture](/insights/japanese-business-culture), [nemawashi decision-making](/insights/nemawashi-japanese-decision-making), and the [real cost and timeline of entering Japan](/insights/real-cost-entering-japanese-market). - If your trip hinges on specific high-stakes meetings, a focused [pre-trip readiness session](/training/japan-market-entry) 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. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is Step in Japan? Step in Japan is a support initiative from the EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation that gives EU-based SMEs a free landing pad in Tokyo while they explore entering or expanding in the Japanese market. It centres on a free hot desk on the Centre's Tokyo premises and bundles in business support services around it. ### Is Step in Japan really free? Yes. There is no fee. The Centre is funded by the European Commission and METI, so eligible EU SMEs pay nothing for the hot desk and the support services. You cover your own travel and accommodation in Japan; the landing-pad facilities themselves are provided free of charge. ### What exactly do you get with Step in Japan? A hot desk in Tokyo on the Centre's premises 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 inquiry about doing business in Japan, assistance using the Enterprise Europe Network service while you are in Japan, and an intercultural crash course. ### Who is eligible for Step in Japan? SMEs based in the EU or a Single Market Programme associated country that are planning to enter or expand within Japan. It is aimed at companies doing real market exploration or early setup, not tourism. Eligibility detail and the application route are on the Centre's Step in Japan page. ### How do I apply for Step in Japan? Apply through the EU-Japan Centre. The published contact for the scheme is StepInJapan@eu-japan.or.jp, and the application route and current availability are on eu-japan.eu. Because slots are limited (a maximum of two beneficiaries per time slot), apply well ahead of your planned trip dates. ### What should I do before using Step in Japan? Get culturally prepared so you do not waste the time on the ground. The hot desk gives you a base; what fills your calendar is your own outreach and meetings, which run on Japanese relationship and decision-making norms. Pair the trip with the Centre's free business culture webinars, or a focused readiness session, so your first meetings land well.