Brand New Inc. (Minato-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director: Yuki Yoshida) Director Akiko Nakajima has released her first book, "The Patient Advantage: What Two Decades on Both Sides Finally Taught Me (English Edition)" on June 24, 2026. The book explains the challenges and strategies for foreign companies entering the Japanese market and for Japanese brands expanding overseas, based on her business experience in Japan and the US. 1. Background of Publication and Features of the Book "The Patient Advantage: What Two Decades on Both Sides Finally Taught Me (English Edition)" Japan crushes all companies. Why? And what can be done about it? Even global companies like Google, Starbucks, and Netflix have faced difficulties in the Japanese market. The cause is not a lack of resources, but a lack of understanding of the fundamental structure of the Japanese market. Akiko Nakajima has built a 24-year career at international companies such as Ogilvy, Netflix, 17LIVE, and Accenture, based in New York and Tokyo. This book summarizes the insights gained from that experience. The book reveals the rules for winning in Japan's unique trend ecosystem, as well as the challenges faced by Japanese brands when entering the US market. It is a book that can only be written by an author who has experienced both the entry of foreign companies into Japan and the overseas expansion of Japanese companies as a principal. 2. Author's Comment For 24 years (14 years in America, 10 years in Japan), I have faced various challenges on the front lines of global business. Through that experience, I may not have found absolute answers, but I have found my own solutions. The desire to share these with as many people as possible was the motivation for writing this book. While researching cases of many large companies for this book, I noticed a common trend. As the title suggests, I am convinced that the greatest foundation for success is "Patience." I hope this book will be of some help to your business. 3