If you are an Australian exporter planning to sell into Japan through a local partner, verify the partner’s credentials and align your plan with available government support before you sign any agreement. Austrade, the Australian Government’s international trade promotion agency, connects overseas importers to Australian suppliers and provides advice to exporters (Austrade). This guide sets out the due diligence questions you should check and the official Australian resources you can draw on. It is written as a practical checklist, not as legal or trade advice.
What Austrade provides for Australian exporters
The following points summarise Austrade’s stated role and services. They are facts drawn from Austrade’s public material (Austrade):
- Austrade is the Australian Government’s international trade promotion, investment and visitor attraction agency.
- It supports Australian exporters, international investors and buyers, international education providers and students, and the domestic tourism sector.
- It provides programs, insights and advice to help exporters, investors, the education sector and tourism.
- It connects overseas importers to Australian suppliers and promotes high-quality investment into Australia.
- It maintains a network of overseas posts, online toolkits, opportunities, advice, insights and contacts for exporters of all sizes.
- The Go Global Toolkit delivers the latest updates and support for Australian exporters, including those facing supply chain volatility.
- The Trade Resilience Service delivers practical intelligence, insights and advice to support businesses navigating supply chain disruption.
- Export Market Development Grants help small and medium Australian businesses start and grow exports in international markets.
- Austrade accelerates the growth of exporters, attracts foreign investors and stimulates the visitor economy.
- The Trade and Investment Report 2025–26 outlines Austrade’s trade and investment results, initiatives and case studies for that financial year.
- The Australian Government and industry are working together through the Trade Diversification Network to support businesses diversifying and growing exports.
- Maximising trade and economic opportunities for Indigenous Australians and First Nations businesses is a priority of Austrade and the Australian Government.
These descriptions are current as published by Austrade. They show where an exporter can obtain general support, but they do not certify individual overseas partners.
Due diligence questions to verify with a Japanese local partner
The table below lists practical areas you should verify. They are not legal requirements sourced from Austrade; they are common checks an exporter should confirm with the partner, local counsel and Japanese authorities. Treat each as a question to answer with evidence.
| Area | Questions to verify |
|---|---|
| Entity status | Is the partner a registered legal entity in Japan? Request company extracts and confirm with the relevant Japanese registry. |
| Financial health | Can the partner show audited financial statements or bank references? Assess payment reliability and solvency. |
| Market track record | What Australian or foreign brands has the partner represented? Ask for references and contact previous principals directly. |
| Distribution capability | Does the partner own or contract warehouse, logistics and sales coverage suited to your product? Verify physical assets or sub-contracts. |
| Regulatory compliance | Does the partner hold licences needed for your product category in Japan? Confirm with Japanese regulatory bodies. |
| Intellectual property | How will your trademarks, designs and data be protected? Review contract clauses against local IP law. |
| Contract terms | What are the termination, exclusivity, dispute resolution and governing law provisions? Have them reviewed by a lawyer qualified in Japan. |
| Communication | Who is your day-to-day contact? Test responsiveness and language alignment before commitment. |
| Conflict of interest | Does the partner represent competing products? Clarify exclusivity expectations in writing. |
Practical interpretation: A local partner may shorten market entry time, but the above points remain the exporter’s responsibility to confirm. Austrade states it provides advice and contacts, yet it does not approve or warrant overseas companies (Austrade). If a partner claims an affiliation with Australian government programs, verify that claim through Austrade directly.
How Australian export support fits your plan
Austrade connects overseas importers to Australian suppliers (Austrade). If you have already identified a Japanese local partner, you can still use Austrade’s network of overseas posts and advice to sanity-check market conditions (practical interpretation). The Go Global Toolkit and Trade Resilience Service are available for current exporter updates and supply chain intelligence (Austrade). If you are a small or medium business, review Export Market Development Grants to see whether your Japan activities could qualify, but verify eligibility with Austrade as details change.
The Australian Government and industry unite to support exporters through initiatives such as the Trade Diversification Network (Austrade). This broader environment may offer events, publications and connections, but it does not remove the need for partner due diligence.
Questions to verify through official Australian channels
Before you ship samples or travel, check the following with Australian sources:
- Open the Austrade Australian exporters page for toolkits, opportunities and overseas post contacts (Austrade).
- Use the Go Global Toolkit for the latest exporter updates and support (Austrade).
- If supply chain volatility affects your plan, consult the Trade Resilience Service for practical intelligence (Austrade).
- Review Export Market Development Grants for current eligibility and application steps (Austrade).
- For First Nations businesses, note Austrade prioritises trade opportunities and can be contacted for guidance (Austrade).
You should verify each program’s current scope directly with Austrade, as administrative details can change.
Concrete next steps
- Define your export model. Write down the product, target Japanese segment and the exact role you expect the local partner to play.
- Build the due diligence table from the section above and fill each row with documented evidence from the candidate partner.
- Open Austrade’s Australian exporters resource at austrade.gov.au to see toolkits and overseas posts (Austrade). Save relevant links for your team.
- Seek independent Japanese legal and tax advice before signing any contract. This article is not a substitute for professional counsel.
- Contact Austrade through its official enquiry channels for general exporter advice or to ask about its network (Austrade). Do not assume Austrade has vetted your partner.
- Re-check compliance with Japanese registries and industry licences using local authorities or your adviser.
General information boundary
This guide is general information for Australian exporters considering Japan. It does not provide legal, tax, migration, credit or financial advice, and does not promise export approval, savings or market returns. Verified factual claims about Austrade are attributed to its public material (Austrade). All due diligence questions are practical prompts for the exporter to confirm with appropriate Japanese and Australian authorities. This website is independent and is not a lender, broker, government body, regulator or comparison panel.