This anti-spam law strictly prohibits sending commercial emails without prior consent.
Jetro (Japan External Trade Organization) and local cross-border marketing agencies can provide compliant market-entry assistance and warm introductions to validated industry partners.
Most Japanese corporate websites have a 問い合わせ (Inquiry) page. While it’s slower, sending a personalized message through an official form is often more effective than hitting a generic Gmail inbox that might not be monitored. Tips for Outreach in Japan
Most Japanese companies (over 99% of mid-to-large firms) use custom domains. According to a 2022 METI survey, of registered corporations listed a free webmail address as their primary contact. Those were mostly micro-businesses with no office or phone number. While it’s slower, sending a personalized message through
Legitimate corporate entities in Japan are registered with the NTA. You can cross-reference company names against the official Japanese Corporate Number Publication Site to find their official web domains, which are vastly preferred over public domains for secure B2B communication.
Japanese business culture values transparency. State your company name and location immediately.
Host webinars addressing specific pain points in the Japanese market. Those were mostly micro-businesses with no office or
You must obtain explicit permission before sending marketing emails to an individual.
: Frequently used for professional correspondence.
Japan has many industry groups (e.g., JEITA for electronics, JFA for food) that provide member directories with official business emails (custom domains). not @hotmail.com .
If you use data providers, ensure they verify corporate domains and comply with global privacy laws. Filter your searches by: Country: Japan Domain Suffix: .co.jp or .jp
The .co.jp domain represents a legally registered corporation in Japan. It is the gold standard for trust, ensuring that the domain owner has a physical presence in the country. Why Free Email Providers are Rarely Used for Business
As of 2026, the reliance on free consumer email domains for professional Japanese correspondence remains low, making the "2022" context primarily a historical reference for a specific search intent, rather than a strategy for current outreach. 1. The Japanese Business Email Landscape (2022–2026)
Some companies use G Suite (now Google Workspace) – but that’s @company-name.jp , not @gmail.com . Same for Microsoft 365 – domain is custom, not @hotmail.com .