Tesla Motors (NASDAQ: TSLA)’s foray into countries overseas continues, this time with Asia. Last week, Tesla debuted its Model S vehicle and superchargers in Hong Kong. Earlier this month, Tesla had already placed a select few of its luxury vehicle sedans in Hong Kong. However, the first deliveries to customers didn’t take place until Wednesday. This is one of the final key markets that Tesla planned to enter this year, the last one being Japan.

The Importance of Hong Kong

At the Tesla delivery event in Hong Kong, Tesla’s vice president of global sales, Jerome Guillian, thanked the crowd, made up of fans, investors, customers, and potential buyers. “We could not be here without you,” Guillian said. “It’s truly meaningful, and your commitment to help us with our goal, to hasten the transition to sustainable transportation, is appreciated.”

Hundreds of fans and customers attended the Tesla delivery event, which was held at the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal in Hong Kong. The electric car maker delivered eight sold vehicles at the event. It also announced the grand opening of the first two supercharger stations in the area.

With its delivery of electric vehicle to Hong Kong complete, Tesla is on schedule to meet its international rollout plan. In the first quarter of this fiscal year, the company stated that it planned to deliver vehicles to the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, and Japan by the end of this summer.

The Importance of Japan

The expansion of the market means good news for the electric car maker. Tesla can grow its addressable market and increase its deliveries per year by approximately 50 percent from 2014. But now, all that rests on Japan, and the company’s execution there.

During Tesla’s second quarter in 2013, it noted Japan as one of the company’s overseas markets it wanted to extend to. Elon Musk, Tesla’s CEO, stated that he is taking the Japanese market very seriously.

Musk says that he is going against the norm, where most car companies don’t take the Japanese auto market seriously, Tesla will do the exact opposite. He states that people in Japan are extremely discerning and he would consider it a huge honor if a Japanese consumer bought his electric vehicle.

Tesla will need to focus very carefully on the Japan market. With established Japanese companies like Toyota and Honda already investing into hydrogen fuel cell technology. The Japanese government is also the technology by funding hydrogen filling stations and by providing huge subsidies to those who purchase fuel cell vehicles. The Japanese government is preparing to offer up to $20,000 per car for these subsidies towards Toyota’s new fuel cell vehicles. The vehicle’s price starts at about $70,000 – nearly identical to the price of Tesla’s Model S.

When Tesla reports its earnings on Thursday, investors will be sure to keep an eye out for Tesla’s plans to expand into Japan. Investors will also get a clear answer as to how well Tesla is staying on track to its international expansion schedule.

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