Japan small businesses face gap in Business Continuity Planning

Ahead of Disaster Preparedness Day on September 1, discussions have highlighted the importance of Business Continuity Planning (BCP) for solo entrepreneurs and small businesses in Japan. A survey by Teikoku Databank released in June 2026 shows that while the overall percentage of companies with a BCP has reached a record high of 21.4%, a significant gap remains between large corporations (39.9%) and small to medium-sized enterprises (18.3%).

Common obstacles for smaller entities include a lack of necessary skills and know-how (42.2%), inability to secure personnel (33.5%), and insufficient time (28.1%). For individual workers and side-hustlers, the primary risk is not just physical disasters, but the loss of trust caused by communication breakdowns during illness or equipment failure.

Experts suggest that instead of complex documents, solo operators should maintain a simple one-page plan covering three essentials: client contact information and communication protocols, data storage locations (utilizing both cloud and physical backups), and templates for requesting deadline extensions. Financial preparedness, such as maintaining several months of business expenses in a dedicated account, is also recommended to ensure continuity during unexpected absences.