Hire the Best Brand Consultants
in Japan

As a TOP RATED PLUS consultant and one of the leading matcha sourcing experts on Upwork, I specialize in one thing: building world-class Japanese matcha supply chains for ambitious international brands. Finding a reliable, high-quality supplier in Japan's hyper-competitive market is the single biggest challenge for global brands. I solve this problem. Based in Tokyo, I am your strategic partner on the ground. My background is unique: with over a decade of experience as 10+ years in corporate finance and strategic planning at a major Japanese national news organization, I bring expert-level investigation, analysis, and high-level communication skills to every project. This allows me to uncover producers and build the critical relationships that are inaccessible through simple online searches. My service is a complete, end-to-end solution for your brand's foundation: * Strategic Sourcing & Market Analysis: Identifying the right producers who align with your brand's quality, volume, and budget. * Supplier Vetting & Quality Assurance: Ensuring certifications, product quality, and export-readiness meet your exact standards. * Bilingual Negotiation & Relationship Management: Handling all communications in Japanese to secure the best possible terms and build strong, long-term partnerships. * Logistics & Export Coordination: Managing the entire process from placing the order to final shipment. My 100% Job Success Score and history of successful, high-value matcha sourcing projects (as detailed in my portfolio) are your guarantee of a professional, results-driven process. If you are serious about building an authentic and profitable matcha brand, you need a true partner in Japan. Let's discuss how I can build the supply chain that will become the foundation of your success.

I create motion video content that helps businesses explain ideas, showcase products, and engage audiences. My work combines visual storytelling, motion graphics, and creative content production to turn complex messages into clear, engaging videos. Whether it's a product launch, social media campaign, educational content, or a brand story, I focus on creating content that people actually want to watch. Recent work includes: • Product demonstrations • Brand storytelling videos • Educational and informational content • Social media shorts • Creative mixed-media and stop-motion projects Before moving into creative work, I spent more than 12 years working with global organisations across Europe and Asia. That background taught me how businesses communicate, how customers make decisions, and how to turn complex ideas into messages people can quickly understand. Today, I bring that same commercial mindset to video production. If you're looking for content that explains, educates, promotes, or tells a story, I'd be happy to help.

Most writers research their subjects. I've spent 25+ years living them. I'm a best-selling author, former international sports executive, university lecturer, and performance coach who has helped develop athletes to 15 professional titles while advising global health, fitness, and AI coaching platforms. Today, I help health, fitness, sports, wellness, and AI coaching companies create content that educates, engages, and converts. Why clients hire me: ✅ Real-world expertise AI can't replicate ✅ Four best-selling books on athlete development and performance ✅ Hundreds of published articles across health, fitness, coaching, and wellness ✅ Top Rated Plus freelancer ✅ 100% Job Success Score ✅ 25+ years of industry experience Selected Clients & Recent Work • Lead Advisor for a leading fitness app with 113,000+ reviews and a 4.8-star rating, developing evidence-based training programs and coaching content • JOIN Cycling (world's #1 cycling app) – produced high-authority content covering training, performance, recovery, and sports science • PainPod – Australia's leading TENS recovery platform; consulted on content strategy, blog development, email marketing, recovery education, and brand positioning • Xandro Lab – longevity and wellness brand operating throughout Asia; consulted on content strategy, educational content, wellness communications, and brand positioning • Healthypedia – produced and edited high-volume evidence-based health and wellness content • Coach360 – delivered long-form coaching, leadership, recovery, and wellness content under a year-long contract Areas of Expertise • Health & Fitness • Sports Performance • Coaching & Leadership • Sports Psychology • Recovery & Rehabilitation • Behaviour Change • AI Coaching Platforms • Educational Content • Thought Leadership • Ghostwriting 🏆 Featured In 🏆 The Daily Caller, The Digital Journal, LA Weekly, Muscle & Brawn, and numerous health, fitness, coaching, and performance publications. If you're looking for a writer who combines professional writing skills with genuine expertise, I'd be happy to discuss your project. ⭐️ Reviews ⭐️ Kay Mayes, PhD, Clinical Psychologist
 "Brenton blends intensity with calmness, creating an environment that inspires growth and confidence. He motivates with honesty and empathy, providing clear, constructive feedback that drives consistent progress.” Ishihara Hironari, Head of Development, Japan Government Sports Science Training Centre,
 “Brenton delivered transformative, career-defining guidance grounded in world-class expertise. His seamless integration and professionalism made him an invaluable member of our high-performance team.” Steve Marquis, Australian Sports Commission,
 “Brenton has a proven ability to elevate athletes from solid performers to international achievers. His coaching and development expertise consistently produce standout results across all levels.” Peter Wong, Chief Economist, Hong Kong Jockey Club
 “Brenton combines psychological insight with practical performance strategies that resonate with athletes. His sessions are engaging, intelligent, and rooted in real-world experience.” Mitch White, USPTA Leadership and Career Development National Mentoring Program. Brenton’s leadership, integrity, and deep knowledge of performance and mental health set him apart. He consistently brings a results-driven, collaborative approach that strengthens every team he’s part of.”

My name is Akane, I'm from a small town in Japan and now based in Thailand. Since 2017, I have been working as a freelance Graphic Designer and Illustrator to collaborate with clients worldwide, from startups to major corporations. I offer concept-driven creative solutions that reflect my design skills and artistic talent, combined with strong project management and communication abilities that I cultivate over 10+ years in the industry. I can handle a variety of creative projects (listed below) and my expertise particularly lies in logo design, branding and hand-drawn illustration in minimalistic and/or playful style. 👩🏻‍💻 My specialties ✓ Illustration (for posters, T-shirts, product labels, murals, shop windows, etc) ✓ Logo Design and Branding ✓ Print Design (for flyers, packagings, brochures, café menus, vehicle wraps, etc) ✓ Web Design (WordPress/SEO) ✓ Photography and Editing ✓ Translation (Japanese to/from English) 🎨 My style My creative style is deeply influenced by both Japanese pop culture and minimalist aesthetics, reflecting my upbringing in Japan where I developed a strong foundation in design principles and drawing skills. Combined with my design education and work experience overseas, I have a unique advantage in creating Japan-themed designs tailored for a global audience. (Note: Japanese anime/otaku style is NOT within my scope of expertise) 🔮 Generative AI I use generative Al sorely as my design assistant - to help with brainstorming, inspirations and create drafts and mockups. I may use it to help creating design elements, but do not use it to create and/or edit the finalised design. You can find out the details of my past projects in the portfolio section below, or visit my portfolio website: akaneyabushita (dot) com - these will help you understand my creative process and style, and gives you insights of how past clients have evaluated my work. Please feel free to reach out via direct message for project enquiries and availability. I look forward to collaborating with you to create unique projects together! Portfolio website: akaneyabushita (dot) com

I help international companies assess, adapt, and execute their entry into the Japanese market with practical, experience-based strategy. With over 25 years of hands-on executive experience across retail, franchising, consumer business, and corporate operations in Japan, I provide market-entry clarity, localization strategy, and decision-level guidance that goes beyond translation. Clients work with me when they need more than linguistic accuracy. They need local judgment, contextual understanding, and practical adaptation to ensure their brand, product, or internal communication functions effectively in Japan. I bridge language, culture, and operational reality—helping leadership teams avoid costly misalignment while building strategies that work in real business settings. How I typically support clients: • Japan market entry planning and localization strategy • Website and brand messaging adaptation for Consumer and B2B markets • HR and recruitment localization (job postings, employer branding, onboarding, training materials) • Market research interpretation and practical insight translation • Business development and partner-facing communication support • Bilingual executive communication and negotiation (EN/JP) I have worked with global brands, importers, franchise operators, and SMEs to launch, reposition, and expand their presence in Japan—supporting both external market initiatives and internal organizational alignment. Many engagements involve confidential strategy, market positioning, or HR-related initiatives, and I handle sensitive information with professional discretion and NDA compliance. If you are exploring entry into Japan, refining your positioning, or aligning global teams with local execution, I would be happy to discuss how I can support your objectives. Project scope and engagement structure can be tailored based on your specific stage and needs.

Hi there! I'm Shojiro (Jay), a seasoned Japanese expert based in both Japan and ASEAN , bringing over a decade of diverse experience in bridging global organizations with the Japanese market and broader APAC regions. My expertise spans strategic business consulting, operational excellence, AI Trust & Safety, market research, and cultural localization across sectors like online travel (Agoda), AI/tech (TikTok), e-commerce, and aviation. Fluent in Japanese (native), Chinese, and English, I serve as a vital cross-cultural and operational bridge, enabling seamless communication and effective strategy implementation for businesses aiming to penetrate, optimize, or conduct in-depth analysis in complex Asian markets. If you're seeking a highly skilled and results-driven partner to navigate the Japanese market, optimize your operations, ensure digital trust, or gain strategic insights, I'm eager to connect. I leverage a data-centric approach to achieve impactful results and drive sustainable growth. 【Key Expertise Areas】 1. Strategic Business & Market Entry Consulting (Japan & APAC Focus): Leveraging my background in scaling e-commerce (Private Structure Japan) and deep understanding of Japanese/APAC consumer behavior, I provide data-driven strategic insights. This includes niche market research, competitive analysis, and developing robust market entry and growth strategies, particularly for the Japanese digital landscape. I assist in identifying key players, understanding market trends, and optimizing business models for local success. 2. AI Trust & Safety & Japanese Localization: I enhance corporate transparency via legal risk management frameworks for content moderation, quality control, and training within the APEC region. My expertise includes developing community guidelines, contributing to brand trust, and promoting social values for trustworthy operations. AI Safety & Alignment: Policy interpretation for the Japanese context, root cause analysis for safety models, and resolving 'gray area' content. Human-in-the-Loop (HITL) & Data Operations Optimization: Designing QA frameworks and refining data guidelines for efficient feedback loops. Japanese AI Product Localization & UX Enhancement: Assessing cultural appropriateness, conducting localization QA, and providing user experience insights for the Japanese market. Japanese NLP Quality & Hallucination Reduction: Expertise in error analysis, dialect/slang interpretation, and cultural context assessment to improve model accuracy. 3. Operational Excellence & Digital Transformation: I have a proven track record of successfully launching and scaling customer support centers (Agoda), driving significant operational improvements (Concentrix, TikTok), and establishing thriving e-commerce platforms. My focus is on process optimization, fostering high-performing teams, and achieving measurable KPIs to drive digital transformation and sustainable growth. This includes team building, training & quality assurance, and customer support scalability. I look forward to contributing my expertise to your next project. Japanese Market Entry Operational Excellence Multilingual Communication AI Trust & Safety Oversight E-commerce Strategy & Growth Training & Quality Assurance Team Building & Management Customer Support Scalability Cross-Cultural Communication Strategies Customized Training & Coaching Programs