Ze Group and the Oita Chamber of Commerce and Industry Partner to Support Local Businesses in Overseas Sales Expansion

Ze Group Inc. (headquartered in Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture), which has shipped products to 175 countries and regions worldwide, and the Oita Chamber of Commerce and Industry began a business partnership on Friday, May 1, 2026, aimed at supporting local businesses in developing overseas sales channels. Under this partnership, the two organizations will use Ze Group’s cross-border e-commerce mall, Ze Plus, to support overseas sales expansion by businesses in the Oita region. Through cross-border e-commerce seminars, information sharing, customer acquisition support, and overseas sales assistance, they will provide medium- to long-term hands-on support and help local companies pursue sustained international growth. The partnership comes as the Oita Chamber of Commerce and Industry has seen increasing inquiries about overseas sales development amid the shrinking domestic market and changes in consumer behavior. Many businesses have expressed interest in overseas expansion but do not know where to start, are unsure whether their products have demand abroad, or lack the resources to manage post-sale operations and promotion. The lack of practical support has therefore become a challenge. In response, the Oita Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Ze Group will provide local businesses with overseas markets as a new sales-channel option and deliver practical support for international expansion. Beyond listing support, they will offer hands-on assistance and expertise covering sales promotion and operational improvement, helping local companies continue expanding abroad. The Oita area has a wide range of local products, including specialties such as shiitake mushrooms, kabosu citrus, Seki aji and Seki saba fish, and kurome seaweed, as well as various food and processed goods. It also has many products expected to attract overseas demand, including reused goods, fishing tackle, and musical instruments. In recent years, growing interest in sustainability and reuse has also expanded overseas demand for Japanese-quality secondhand luxury goods, musical instruments, and manga. The partnership will support overseas sales of these regional products and aim to help local businesses build sustainable overseas operations. The main initiatives planned under the partnership include holding cross-border e-commerce seminars, supporting overseas mall listings through Ze Plus, opening a special Oita Chamber of Commerce and Industry page on Ze Plus, providing hands-on support from listing to sales promotion, and conducting training for chamber staff. The first cross-border e-commerce seminar is scheduled for Friday, May 22, 2026. A total of four seminars are planned, beginning with content that is accessible even to businesses encountering cross-border e-commerce for the first time. Rather than a one-off initiative, the partnership will provide continuous support over a two- to three-year period, helping local companies become familiar with overseas sales and eventually move toward full-scale exporting. The first seminar, a basic session, will be held on May 22, 2026, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. It will be hosted by the Oita Chamber of Commerce and Industry and will be open to both members and non-members. Topics include an overview and latest trends in cross-border e-commerce, building systems that overcome language barriers, and improving overseas shipping efficiency and risk management. The lecturer will be Riki Mukoyoshi from the Ze Plus Cross-Border E-Commerce Mall Division of Ze Group Inc. The following practical sessions are scheduled for July 31, covering tips for product registration that communicates effectively to overseas users; August 28, a hands-on smartphone product photography workshop for e-commerce; and October 2, a seminar on practical use of overseas-oriented social media such as Instagram. Hiroki Katsura of the Specialized Guidance Section, Small Business Consultation Department at the Oita Chamber of Commerce and Industry, commented that the organization wants overseas markets to feel less distant to local businesses and instead be seen as a new option alongside domestic sales channels. Through a support system that accompanies businesses not only through listing but through actual sales, the chamber aims to pursue overseas expansion together with business operators. It hopes cross-border e-commerce will help local companies gain a real sense of response from overseas markets and eventually lead to full-scale exports. Ze Plus is a cross-border e-commerce mall that delivers Japanese products to the world. As of January 2026, about 5,000 stores, ranging from listed companies to small businesses, operate on the platform. Ze Plus handles product information translation, multilingual customer support, international payments, and shipping in one stop. There are no initial or monthly fees; sellers pay only a 10% commission on the sales price when a sale is made, allowing them to begin cross-border sales with a model similar to domestic selling. Ze Group operates under the vision of bringing 20% of global cross-border e-commerce sales to Japan. It provides one-stop functions needed for overseas expansion, from sales platforms and promotion to creative services. The group currently has more than 3.2 million members and has shipped over 10.5 million products to 175 countries and regions. Through systems that deliver Japan’s excellent products and culture to the world simply, Ze Group aims to drive the global growth of Japanese companies.