A localized website is essential for a successful launch in Japan

In 2024, ChopValue decided to enter Japan, the world’s largest consumer of disposable chopsticks. Although the company had already expanded into Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines, its digital assets, including the website and sustainability report, were available only in English, which meant the team didn’t have any prior localization experience. To communicate its mission and business effectively in Japan, where English is not widely used, the content needed more than translation. It required natural, culturally attuned Japanese expressions that could help diverse audiences, including government stakeholders, relate to sustainability as a familiar and relevant theme.

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Established a solid foundation for communicating with Japanese audiences

Inc first developed ChopValue’s Japanese voice and tone. Building on the brand voice defined by the global headquarters, the team adapted it for the Japanese market and established the stance and tone for communicating with Japanese audiences, including preferred expressions and style conventions. Inc also translated technical circular-economy terminology into approachable Japanese, creating a foundation that allows even those new to sustainability to engage with the content smoothly.​

 

Transcreated the website to read as if originally written in Japanese

Once the style guide was complete, Inc localized the key pages of ChopValue’s website and sustainability report. For example, the copy “All of The Wood, None of The Trees” was transcreated as "木を伐採しない、木の家具," preserving the original intent based on deep understanding of its mission and business model while ensuring the message resonate naturally in Japanese. The team also edited sections that had been translated internally by ChopValue, refining them for consistency and flow. By combining expertise in English comprehension, copywriting, and Japanese editorial skills developed in the publishing industry, Inc produced content that reads as if it were originally written in Japanese.​

 

Contributed to a strong and steady expansion in the Japanese market

ChopValue launched its first non-English website in early 2025, followed by the opening of its first Japanese microfactory in Kawasaki in April. The company also announced a strategic partnership with Kokuyo, a leading office furniture manufacturer, and later in October formed a collaboration with Takenaka Corporation, one of Japan’s largest construction companies, marking a strong and steady expansion in the Japanese market.