World Business Hub

Doing Business in Japan: Time, Currency and Market Guide

Compare Japan business hours with your city, check the local time in Tokyo, and review key market details before you call or email.

Country snapshot

CapitalTokyo
Currency Japanese yen (JPY)
Time zoneAsia/Tokyo
Business weekMonday to Friday
Stock exchangeTokyo Stock Exchange
Market codeJPX

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Doing business in Japan

Japan is one of the world’s most established business markets, with strong demand for clear communication, punctuality, and careful preparation. If you are contacting companies in Japan from the UK, Europe, or North America, timing matters because the working day begins much earlier in your morning. This guide helps you judge the best contact window, understand the local currency, and quickly reference the main market and capital city.

Business etiquette and practical notes

Keep communication polite, precise, and well structured. Video calls and meetings usually work best when scheduled in advance, and it helps to send a clear agenda beforehand. Follow-up emails should confirm decisions and next actions in writing.

Currency converter

1 JPY to selected home currency
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Rates update from a daily exchange-rate API.

Market chart

Tokyo Stock Exchange

Frequently asked questions

For many UK businesses, the best overlap is early morning in Britain and late afternoon in Japan.

Japan uses the Japanese yen, with the currency code JPY.

The main exchange is the Tokyo Stock Exchange, often tracked via the Nikkei 225 index.