Most Japanese cars in Japan are right-hand drive, with a few exceptions for luxury sports cars. They’re designed this way to suit Japanese roads, while other countries like Germany use left-hand drive. If these cars had been sold as left-hand drive from the start, they likely wouldn’t have gained the same popularity in Japan.
The same principle applies to Japanese cars in the U.S.—no matter how well the signs and instructions are translated, right-hand drive cars wouldn’t have sold well there.
This concept is easy to grasp, and it extends to websites as well. Simply translating a Japanese site into English won’t be enough for it to resonate with English-speaking audiences. Just like adapting a car from right to left-hand drive, you need to adjust the layout, design, and overall concept for the target market.
If you’re serious about expanding internationally, it’s crucial to fully adapt to the local culture, not just translate your content.
