As part of projects aimed at developing trade cooperation between Ukraine and Japan, and with the support of the Japanese government and UNDP, the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has announced a call for applications from Ukrainian companies to participate in a practical training program on entering the Japanese market.
The program’s goal is to help Ukrainian small and medium-sized enterprises better understand the requirements of the Japanese market, prepare their products and commercial proposals, and take the first steps toward finding partners, importers, distributors, and sales channels in Japan.
The program includes online training for a wide range of companies, as well as a two-day in-depth in-person seminar in Kyiv for selected participants.
The in-person seminar will take place on July 14–15, 2026, in Kyiv. Up to 60 companies will be selected to participate. The online training will be held on either July 21 or 28, 2026; companies may choose one of the offered dates, as the online module curriculum is identical for both.
Ukrainian small and medium-sized enterprises, exporters, manufacturers, and service providers who already have experience in foreign economic activity or view Japan as a promising market for export development are invited to participate.
Priority will be given to companies with export-oriented products or services that can be adapted to the requirements of the Japanese market. Special attention will be paid to companies in the agri-food sector, the cosmetics industry, the fashion industry, woodworking, IT/software, and related fields.
The online training will include a general overview of the Japanese market, an analysis of promising Ukrainian goods and services for export to Japan, the advantages, challenges, and typical barriers to market entry, logistics issues, basic documentation and product requirements, as well as the specifics of business communication, trust-building, and negotiations with Japanese partners.
The training will also feature practical materials from the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (UCCI): a study of the Japanese market, an export guide, checklists, and tools to help companies prepare to operate in the Japanese market.
Based on the registration forms submitted and in accordance with the selection methodology, a group of up to 60 companies will be formed to participate in a two-day in-depth seminar in Kyiv.
During the in-person seminar, participants will address practical issues related to entering the Japanese market, including business models involving importers, distributors, e-commerce platforms, trade shows, and B2B and B2G contacts. The seminar will also cover Japanese consumer behavior, importers’ expectations, factors related to trust, quality, and reputation, e-commerce platforms, potential sales channels, product adaptation, packaging, labeling, and certification and commercial requirements.
A separate session will be dedicated to preparing a short presentation, a company profile, and a commercial proposal for Japanese partners. Participants will also have access to individual or group consultation sessions, the collection of company inquiries, and the development of next steps.
Selection of companies for the in-person seminar will be based on the submitted registration form. The evaluation will take into account the company’s legal status and size, its registration and operations in Ukraine at the time of application, the availability of a product or service with export potential, its export orientation, alignment with priority or related sectors, and the quality of the completed application.
Preference may be given to companies with proven export experience, participation in previous export-oriented programs, as well as companies that demonstrate a realistic readiness to engage with the Japanese market.
Program participants are expected to gain an understanding of the basic requirements and logic for entering the Japanese market, practical checklists and benchmarks for assessing a company’s readiness, as well as recommendations regarding products, communication, sales channels, and initial contact with partners. Selected companies will also be able to participate in a two-day in-depth seminar and practical consulting sessions.
Registration is open until July 11, 2026, at the following link: https://forms.gle/JGp1PcfLAwV5RodU6
Contact persons: Daniil Chepelev, tel. +380506803223, e-mail: idu-ier@ucci.org.ua; Yelizaveta Syonova, tel. +380962531240, e-mail: sei-ier@ucci.org.ua.
The training sessions are organized by UNDP in Ukraine in cooperation with the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (UCCI) and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) as part of the project “Supporting Inclusive Recovery to Ensure Resilience and Human Security in Ukraine,” with financial support from the Government of Japan.
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