Hard to imagine, really. The English that is spoken in Japanese business is fractured at best. Hence, language is going to be a real barrier and not one a Japanese company is going to want to pay for you to overcome.

Also, in general, the Japanese culture remains quite xenophobic. Perhaps not to the extent of the Koreans, but not far bedhind. I recently asked this of a Japanese executive and he stated that foreigners don't have much of a chance for advancement in Japanese business. It is changing, he stated, but quite slowly.

My point is that the fact that you are from the 'States is not going to de facto work for you. In fact -- sans some other mitigating skill -- it will work against you.

What you need is a skill that they lack. Obviously, this is not easy to find. Basically, we are talking about a highly valued, "niche" skill. A highly technical area is the most likely source.

The Japanese business person is pragmatic. He wants to do better tomorrow what he has done today, including making more money. If he believes you can help him do this, he will treat you very nicely. If not, he won't give you the time of day.