'Japan changed our engineering culture': Sridhar Vembu says the country shaped Zoho's DNA

For Sridhar Vembu, Japan is not simply another market where Zoho does business. It is a country that, according to him, fundamentally shaped the way the company builds products and serves customers.

In a reflective post on X, the Zoho co-founder looked back at the company's early expansion into Japan and explained why the country's culture continues to leave a deep impression on him. His message was less about business growth and more about the values he believes Indian companies can learn from Japan, earning trust, embracing patience and proving reliability over time.

The post offers a glimpse into why Vembu has long spoken fondly of Japan and why his current visit there appears to be more than just a routine business trip.

Why Japan still holds a special place for Zoho

Vembu revealed that Japan was Zoho's first international office outside India and the United States, a decision the company made in 2001 when it was still an unfamiliar software firm from Chennai.

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Recalling a recent visit to Zoho's Yokohama office, he said the trip reminded him of how ambitious that decision had been.

"Japan was our first office outside India and the US. That was 2001," Vembu wrote.

He described Japan as one of the most demanding markets for any technology company, noting that success there is determined less by marketing or brand recognition and more by how a company responds when things go wrong.

"Nobody in Japan buys because of a brand or a pitch. They watch how you behave when something breaks, and if you pass that test they stay with you for decades," he wrote.

According to Vembu, that approach profoundly influenced Zoho itself.

Rather than chasing short-term wins, the company adopted a culture centred on engineering quality, customer support and long-term relationships. He said the patience and discipline he witnessed in Japan became part of Zoho's engineering DNA and "never left."

His post concluded with a simple "Thank you" in Japanese.

More than admiration—it has become a pattern

Vembu's appreciation for Japan has been evident throughout his latest visit.

Just a few days before sharing his reflections on Zoho's journey, he posted a video of himself dashing through a Japanese railway station in an attempt to catch a train. Dressed in his signature white veshti, the Zoho co-founder quickly became the subject of memes and amused reactions across social media.

Many users joked that Japan's famously punctual transport system leaves no room for delay, regardless of who you are.

While the video entertained millions, his latest post reveals the deeper reason behind his admiration.

For Vembu, Japan is not merely a country known for efficient trains or orderly cities. It represents a philosophy of doing business—one where trust is earned over years rather than bought through advertising, and where a company's response during difficult moments matters more than its sales pitch.

That perspective also helps explain why Zoho chose Japan as one of its earliest international bets despite being a little-known startup at the time. Entering such a demanding market was undoubtedly risky, but Vembu now suggests it became one of the company's defining experiences.

At a time when founders often celebrate rapid expansion and aggressive growth, Vembu's reflections offer a different lesson. Sometimes, the toughest market teaches the most enduring values—and for Zoho, those lessons appear to have come from Japan.