Bringing innovative health care products to Japan

Based in Tokyo, Entry Japan is an innovative organization that partners with companies from overseas to deliver better health care alternatives to Japan and other Asian countries.

Founder and president Daniel Stakoe says the company carefully selects and imports wellness, audio and hearing related products from around the world and is dedicated to improving health care through the exchange of technology.

Born in Detroit, Michigan, Stakoe first came to Japan in 1986 and worked for a Japanese bank. He worked as an intern for a year before joining the bank on a contract basis. After working in the banking industry for seven years, he joined The Stanley Works Japan KK where he was for six years, and followed that up with two years as Vice President of Business Development, Nihon Cochlear KK. Stakoe founded Entry Japan in 2001.

Why did you decide to establish Entry Japan?

I had spent two years working in the hearing industry for Cochlear (the world’s largest inner ear implant manufacturer). It was clear then that there was a big gap in the understanding of audiology between Japan and other developed nations. It was and is rare for an individual in Japan to get the same level of care that they would get elsewhere. Roughly 36% of hearing aid users are satisfied with their hearing aids in Japan which is about half of what you would see in Germany 77%, the U.S 74% and England 72%.

Were the first few years a struggle?

Every consecutive year seems easier even if we are testing ourselves with new challenges. Life may be similar. We started selling directly to ENT doctors via direct mailings and presence at academic conferences. We started simple.

Was 2015 a god year for you in terms of sales?

2015 Was very strong for three key products POWERbreathe (TM): a device for training the muscles around the lungs; Comply (TM): replaceable foam ear bud tips; and Nasaline (TM): a nose wash.

As the name, ENTry Ear, Nose, Throat suggests, we are at our best when we are focused on hearing and breathing related products.

Are there any Japanese regulatory challenges concerning the import of hearing and breathing products and medical devices? Is there a long waiting period before you can get approval?

Yes. As an approved medical device company, we have overcome some regulatory hurdles. Every few years, we are audited by the regulators who make sure we are handling products properly and keeping records. Some products require approval before we can sell them. We are really excited about getting approval for middle ear titanium implants in the next year or so. The technology has been around forever, but not in Japan because no one wanted to bother with the regulatory hassle.

Do any products have to be modified for Japan?

Sometimes. We import a machine that tests the functionality of a hearing aid. The Japanese Otorhinolaryngology Academy’s guidance required a report with five output graphs on it; our original version only had three.

Are audio-related products such as the ear bud enhancer or noise reduction earphones considered health care products in Japan?

Health care is a vague term, but they are not medical devices. We used to sell them as an alternative to ear molds.

Where can we buy your products?

Yodobashi Camera, Bic Camera, Tokyu Hands, Art Sports, participating ENT clinics across Japan, various retail outlets that sell hearing aids, Amazon and Rakuten like everything else in the world, surf shops, medical device catalogs, etc. We also act as an OEM provider of Comply foam tips to big Japanese brands, like Audio Technica and Denon.

Is online business increasing?

Our customers that sell online: Amazon and Time Machine (E-Earphone), for example, do really well. We do sell directly to end users via www.entry-shop.com and other outlets, but we don’t dedicate a lot of energy to it.

What is your marketing strategy?

One method is through key opinion leaders, such as top doctors, top athletes, top singers. Another is by having a store and web presence. We also participate in events such as earphone festivals, athletic competitions, medical device conferences, collaborative research projects and trade shows. In terms of advertising, we do some in magazines, as well as banner ads and we use Facebook, too.

Since you are selling medical devices, how closely to do you work with medical professionals in Japan?

Closely. We are about to start a study of 100 COPD patients in 10 institutions to demonstrate the benefit of breathing muscle training.

Tell us about your team.

We have a third party logistics partner that handles our customer desk and fulfillment of orders. We have been working together for about 13 years. Most of our design work is outsourced. Much of our accounting work is outsourced, as well. The people we have internally are focused on marketing, selling and regulatory related work. We organize the customers into three segments: professional, retailer and user. Similarly, products are divided into three groups: hearing, breathing and other.

What is a typical day for you? Are you in the office all day, having meetings or do you like to go out to retailers to see how your products are being displayed?

I like meeting with customers at conferences, events and trade shows. I can meet a lot of people in a short time. We are understaffed a bit, so it is hard for me to get out to the stores as often as I would like.

As an entrepreneur, are you optimistic about the Japanese economy?

The space that we are in is solid. In the future, I expect that the aging population will need to be more self-reliant. They will need to turn to hearing aids and devices like our POWERbreathe to remain healthy and active.

When you are not working, how do you like to relax?

These days I like to get out of Tokyo to cycle with friends. While not very good, I like to play the clarinet and saxophone. Often I participate in the trail runs that we sponsor.

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