starting own business

[Wouter]

I have been wondering around what to do for a few years, but I couldn't find anything that fits me.
During all that time, my main interest has always been Japanese language and culture.
Now I've come up with an idea and I would like to ask you if you think my idea has chance of succes and what I need to do for it.

Me and a Japanese friend would like to open a shop in Japan.
We would probably start small: a shop for garden applications, other than that we would like to sell organic vegetables and fruit and other products.
In the future we maybe want to open a nature school for children.

What do you think about such an idea?
What are the legal and practical restrictions of that in Japan?
how about Visa etc.?

thanks in advance for any advice.

[yukio_michael]

I'm not sure about Belgium, here is a site that is for people doing business in Japan from the states, http://www.jetro.org/ ,maybe there is a similar program for people in Europe? Sorry this isn't more helpful.

[cyberryo]

Hi Wouter,
The administrative matters involving visa, etc. can be sorted out by your Japanese partner. I would only suggest that you add an internet shopfront to your physical shop outlet so that your sales not be limited by your geographical location. Japanese are very interested in environmentally friendly products so organic products have been around for sometime. I guess your market and product positioning would have to be carefully thought through.
JETRO has a Invest Japan Business Support Center scheme in which they would help foreign companies keen to enter the Japan market by providing subsidised temporary office space, and market consultants. Not sure if these are available to new start-ups.