Most Japanese businesses understandably prioritise Japanese customers. An English section becomes useful when a specific audience needs to understand the offer, check practical details and take a next step without falling into an unfinished Japanese-only path.
Who actually benefits from an English version?
- Businesses serving tourists. Restaurants, ryokan, clinics, tours, shops and transport providers can explain booking, access, prices and what visitors should expect.
- Businesses serving foreign residents. An English route can make local services, eligibility, documents and enquiry steps easier to understand.
- Businesses working with overseas partners. Importers, exporters, manufacturers and B2B services can present capabilities, commercial scope and a suitable contact route.
- Businesses hiring international talent. A focused careers journey can set out the role, location, language expectations, visa position and application process.
What a useful bilingual journey looks like
The two versions do not need identical wording, but shared facts such as prices must agree. The English journey should also say how enquiries are handled and accept information that does not fit Japanese-only formats.
Guided pottery session
English guide · 90 minutes per group
¥12,000 per group, tax includedSame price on the Japanese pageThis non-functional form is illustrative. Its fields are designed to accept information from outside Japan.
- Edit for meaning and customer understanding. Check facts, terminology, tone and instructions with someone who understands the business and the intended reader.
- Adapt information where the customer journey differs. International ordering, shipping, payment, access or hiring details may need different explanations.
- Keep the language switch visible and link genuine equivalent pages where they exist.
- Use appropriate language annotations so search engines can understand the alternatives.
- State real English support availability. Name the channel, staffed hours and expected response time; do not advertise English phone support unless it is actually available.
A limited English section can be enough
Partial translation is not inherently a problem. A deliberately limited journey can be useful if it clearly states its scope and gives the reader everything needed to decide and enquire. The problem is an apparently complete English site that unexpectedly sends people into Japanese-only prices, policies or forms.
These pages can be added in stages, but each published route should be complete. See our own website service and Pricing pages for examples of keeping service scope and costs available in the same language.
Translation tools still need an editing process
Machine translation or AI can assist a draft; its use alone does not determine search performance. Google’s guidance on AI-assisted content emphasises original, useful, people-first content rather than a particular production method. Before publishing, verify names, prices, safety information, contractual meaning and culturally specific instructions, then have a person judge whether the intended customer will understand what to do.
Avoid these unfinished paths
- An English homepage whose service, price or booking links unexpectedly switch to Japanese.
- Draft translation published without checking business facts, specialist terms or instructions.
- English content left out of date while the Japanese offer changes.
- Prices or extra charges visible in only one language.
- A form that rejects international phone numbers, names, countries or addresses.
What determines the cost?
There is no dependable percentage of the original site price. Cost depends on the number and length of pages, whether the English journey needs different content, specialist review, form and booking changes, language switching, search setup and ongoing updates. Define those items before comparing quotes rather than assuming translation is the only task.
Where to go from here
Our complete guide, doing business online in Japan, covers the wider landscape. The companion piece, LINE or website? How Japanese customers actually find local businesses, is worth reading too. If you'd like to talk about a bilingual setup, our contact page is in both English and Japanese.