Aki Fuchigami

Tokyo, Japan

Founder and CEO of OPTI Inc.

Japan's Digital Content Empire: How Financial Institutions Are Betting Big on Anime, Gaming, and Blockchain

Japan's Digital Content Empire: How Financial Institutions Are Betting Big on Anime, Gaming, and Blockchain

When people think of Japan's digital goods, they often think of consumers — the millions of Japanese users paying for SaaS subscriptions, AI tools, and mobile games. But there's another side to the story: Japan is also a formidable producer and exporter of digital goods, and its

Japan's Inbound Tourism Boom: 37 Million Visitors and What It Means for Cross-Border Business

Japan's Inbound Tourism Boom: 37 Million Visitors and What It Means for Cross-Border Business

Japan's inbound tourism market has staged one of the most dramatic recoveries in global travel history. After two years of near-zero international arrivals during the pandemic, foreign visitor numbers haven't just recovered — they've surpassed pre-COVID levels and show no signs of slowing down. For

ACP Explained: Why Every Foreign Company Importing to Japan Needs an Attorney for Customs Procedure

ACP Explained: Why Every Foreign Company Importing to Japan Needs an Attorney for Customs Procedure

If you want to import goods into Japan as a foreign company without a physical presence in the country, you need an ACP — an Attorney for Customs Procedure (税関事務管理人). There is no workaround, no alternative, and no way to skip this requirement. Without an ACP, your goods cannot clear Japanese

How to Onsen: A Foreigner's Complete Guide to Japanese Hot Spring Etiquette

How to Onsen: A Foreigner's Complete Guide to Japanese Hot Spring Etiquette

For many international visitors, the Japanese onsen (温泉, hot spring bath) represents the single most memorable experience of their trip — and often the most intimidating. The idea of bathing naked in front of strangers, following unwritten rules you don't understand, in a facility where everything is written in

Beyond Tokyo: Hidden Japan Travel Spots That Reveal the Real Market Opportunity

Beyond Tokyo: Hidden Japan Travel Spots That Reveal the Real Market Opportunity

Japan's tourism boom shows no signs of slowing down. In 2025, the country welcomed over 36 million international visitors — a record — and 2026 is on track to surpass that number. But as overtourism becomes a genuine concern in places like Kyoto's Fushimi Inari, Tokyo's

Selling TO Japan: 8 Product Categories Japanese Consumers Can't Get Domestically

Selling TO Japan: 8 Product Categories Japanese Consumers Can't Get Domestically

Most cross-border e-commerce content focuses on selling Japanese products to the world. But there's an equally compelling opportunity in the opposite direction: selling foreign products TO Japanese consumers. Japan is a $5 trillion economy with 125 million consumers who have money to spend and a well-documented appetite for

The Japan Product Gap: Why Foreigners Can't Stop Buying Japanese Goods

The Japan Product Gap: Why Foreigners Can't Stop Buying Japanese Goods

One of the most powerful insights for cross-border e-commerce sellers is understanding the gap between Japanese products and their foreign equivalents. This isn't about national pride — it's about recognizing a measurable quality differential that drives purchasing behavior and creates real market opportunities. Two viral YouTube videos