Japan and South Korea together account for roughly $340 billion in annual US goods imports. Japan alone sends about $148 billion in goods to the US each year; South Korea adds approximately $115 billion. That's not abstract trade flow. It's Toyota parts crossing from Japan to Georgetown, Kentucky. It's Samsung Display panels installed in US consumer electronics. SMEs in both countries already sit inside US-facing supply chains. The question is how to formalize that position, open new corporate accounts, and pursue certifications that give you a genuine edge.
The trade foundation that already exists
The US-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS), in effect since 2012, eliminated most tariffs on Korean goods entering the US and created customs procedures that US procurement teams now expect Korean suppliers to know. If you're a Korean SME and your US counterpart needs a certificate of origin, you issue one under KORUS rules of origin. That's not optional; it's the admission ticket.
Japan's situation is different. The US-Japan trade agreement signed in 2019 covers agricultural products and some industrial goods but is narrower than KORUS. Japan and the US are both members of CPTPP negotiating frameworks, though the US is not currently a CPTPP signatory. What matters practically: Japanese exporters into the US face some remaining tariffs on manufactured goods, while Korean exporters in most categories do not. For Korean SMEs, that's a real price advantage worth quantifying in your pitch to US buyers.
On the security side, both countries sit inside the US alliance procurement framework. US-Japan Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) and the US-Korea Mutual Defense Treaty create ongoing US Department of Defense spending in both countries. Defense contractors like Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and L3Harris have established supplier relationships with Japanese and Korean firms. If you're already in that channel, you have references that US corporate procurement managers recognize.
Which US certifications are actually available
Most US diversity certifications require a US entity. This is not a technicality you can work around. The NMSDC MBE certification, WBENC WBE certification, and SBA 8(a) program all require that the business be at least 51% owned and controlled by a US citizen or permanent resident. A Japanese or Korean company incorporated in Japan or Korea cannot certify directly.
The exceptions matter, though.
Korean-American and Japanese-American owned US businesses are fully eligible. If you're a Korean national who has formed a US LLC or corporation, holds at least 51% ownership, and is a US citizen or permanent resident, you can pursue NMSDC MBE certification. NMSDC certifies businesses owned by persons who are Asian-Pacific American, which explicitly includes Korean-Americans and Japanese-Americans. The National Asian Pacific American Chamber of Commerce (NAPACC) operates as an NMSDC affiliate and certifies businesses in this category. The certification costs $400 to $1,200 per year depending on the affiliate, and most Fortune 500 supplier diversity programs actively track MBE-certified Asian Pacific American suppliers.
WEConnect International is the clearest path for women-owned businesses that have not formed a US entity. WEConnect certifies women-owned businesses globally, including businesses operating outside the US, and its certification is accepted by corporate members that include Boeing, Chevron, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, and about 100 other multinationals. WEConnect has active chapters in Japan and South Korea. Certification costs roughly $350 per year for SMEs. The corporate members who accept WEConnect certification are required to report diverse spend, so there's a real financial incentive for their procurement teams to actually use the database.
SAM.gov registration is open to non-US entities and required for any US federal contracting. A Japanese or Korean company can register in SAM.gov as a foreign entity. You'll need a DUNS number (now replaced by the UEI number through SAM.gov directly), a NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) code for international vendors, and a bank account that can receive US federal payments. SAM.gov registration does not confer certification status, but it makes you visible to US federal contracting officers and primes who search the database for capable suppliers.
WEConnect International: the specific steps
WEConnect International's Japan chapter (WEConnect Japan) is operated in partnership with local business associations. The South Korea chapter works similarly. Both run certification workshops several times per year in Tokyo and Seoul.
To certify: 1. Complete the WEConnect online application at weconnectinternational.org 2. Submit documentation proving at least 51% woman ownership and active management 3. Pay the annual fee ($350 for businesses under $1M revenue; higher tiers for larger companies) 4. Once certified, your business profile appears in the WEConnect global supplier database
Corporate members search this database actively. Boeing's supplier diversity team, for example, uses WEConnect's database to identify international women-owned suppliers for its global procurement needs. When Boeing's procurement team in South Carolina is sourcing aerospace components and wants to hit their WBE spend targets, WEConnect-certified Korean suppliers in precision machining show up in that search.
Registering in US corporate supplier portals as a non-US vendor
The three platforms that cover the majority of Fortune 500 procurement are SAP Ariba, Coupa, and Jaggaer. All three accept international supplier registrations.
SAP Ariba: Most Fortune 500 companies use Ariba Network. Register at supplier.ariba.com. A basic Ariba Network account is free. You'll need a US or international bank account, your country of incorporation, tax ID from your home country (you'll also need a US EIN if you have a US entity), and primary contact information. Once registered, individual buyers invite you to their procurement portals, or you appear in the Ariba Discovery supplier search. Ariba Discovery lets buyers post sourcing requests and receive responses from registered suppliers globally.
Coupa: Register at supplier.coupa.com. Coupa's supplier portal (CSP) is free to join. The registration asks for your DUNS or D&B number, company address, categories of goods or services, and banking details. Companies using Coupa include Procter & Gamble, Salesforce, and DSW. Coupa's network is smaller than Ariba's but growing, particularly among technology companies.
Jaggaer: Used heavily by universities, healthcare systems, and industrial manufacturers. Register at jaggaer.com/suppliers. Jaggaer's supplier network (formerly BravoSolution and SciQuest) is common in aerospace and defense supply chains, which is relevant if you're targeting primes like Northrop Grumman or General Dynamics.
For all three platforms, the registration itself takes one to two hours if you have your documents ready. The actual procurement relationship requires a buyer to initiate contact or a sourcing event to respond to. Registration gets you visible; follow-up with specific procurement contacts is what converts.
JETRO and KOTRA: the introductions you're not making
Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) operates 67 offices in the US, including major offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Houston, and San Francisco. JETRO's core function is facilitating introductions between Japanese companies and US buyers. Their "Business Support Centers" offer meeting space, interpretation support, and direct introductions to US procurement contacts. JETRO runs an annual "Japan Brand" showcase at trade shows including CES and MD&M (medical device manufacturing). If you're a Japanese SME looking to meet Toyota's North American procurement team or Honda Manufacturing of Alabama's supplier development staff, JETRO is the direct line.
KOTRA (Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency) runs 13 US offices and operates similarly. KOTRA's "Global Business Center" in New York specifically facilitates Korean SME introductions to US corporate buyers. KOTRA co-organizes the annual Korea-US Science and Technology Investment Forum and runs pavilions at US industry trade shows. Their K-Move program specifically supports Korean entrepreneurs establishing US operations, which is the path if you want to eventually qualify for NMSDC certification.
Both agencies offer these services at low or no cost to qualifying SMEs. JETRO's business support services are free for Japanese SMEs for the first six months in a US market entry program.
What US companies are actually buying
Toyota Georgetown, Kentucky: Toyota's largest North American plant makes about 550,000 Camrys and Avalons per year. Toyota has a formal Tier 2 supplier diversity program and reports its Tier 2 diverse spend to NMSDC. Japanese SME suppliers in stamping, plastics, and electronic components who are already Toyota suppliers in Japan have a direct introduction path through Toyota's global supply chain management team.
Hyundai Motor Group, Georgia: Hyundai's Metaplant in Ellabell, Georgia opened in 2025 with a $7.6 billion investment. Hyundai is actively building a Georgia supplier ecosystem and is conducting supplier development events through the Georgia Department of Economic Development. Korean SMEs in battery components, steel processing, and interior systems are the primary targets.
Samsung Austin Semiconductor: Samsung's Austin facility is a $17 billion fab expansion. Samsung's US procurement buys chemicals, specialty gases, precision equipment parts, and facility services. Korean SMEs already in Samsung's Korean supply chain have a direct introduction path through Samsung's global procurement office in Seoul.
General Motors: GM has a formal supplier diversity program and accepts WEConnect certification for women-owned international suppliers. GM's procurement categories where Japanese and Korean suppliers compete include electronics, precision components, and software.
First steps, ranked by effort and return
Start with SAM.gov registration if you have any interest in government-adjacent contracts. It's free, takes two hours, and opens the entire federal and federal prime contractor market.
Register in Ariba Network next. Free registration, and it's the portal your target buyers use.
Apply to WEConnect if you're women-owned. The $350/year fee is worth it given access to 100+ Fortune 500 procurement teams who are required to search the database.
Contact JETRO or KOTRA directly. If you're targeting a specific US buyer, these organizations can often make a direct introduction in weeks, not months.
If you're a Korean-American or Japanese-American with a US entity and at least 51% ownership, pursue NMSDC MBE certification through your regional NMSDC affiliate. Find your affiliate at nmsdc.org. The certification takes 60 to 90 days and costs $400 to $1,200, depending on company size.
