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Tag: Japan

  • Tokyo Motorcycle Show Cancelled

    Tokyo Motorcycle Show Cancelled

    The 48th edition of the Tokyo Motorcycle Show has been canceled due to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, the Tokyo Motorcycle Show Association has announced. The Tokyo Motorcycle Show was scheduled to be held in the spring of 2021, but considering the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the organizers have decided to cancel the event. The organizers hope to hold the next show in 2022. According to the Japanese publication, Young Machine, the original theme of the 2021 event was meant to be “seeing, touching, and experiencing.”

    The Tokyo Motorcycle Show is one of the biggest motorcycle events around the world, and the Japanese big four manufacturers usually save some of their biggest new models, as well as the most exciting innovations, and the most important launches for the event. The decision to cancel the show will be a disappointment for motorcycle manufacturers, with several other international shows for the year already canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The most popular European show, the EICMA show in Milan, has been canceled, as well as the Intermot show in Cologne, Germany. The UK’s Motorcycle Live show has also been canceled for this year.

    Instead of a physical event where OEMs usually showcase new models and technologies, manufacturers and organizers are expected to host a series of online reveals and ‘shows’ of their own. The change from a physical show has its advantages, of reaching to a wider audience around the world. But there’s nothing like an actual show, where the latest designs and models are on display to be seen up close and make a more personal connection with upcoming motorcycles.

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  • Ruten Japan launches international website

    Ruten Japan launches international website

    Japanese e-commerce platform Ruten has launched a global website, offering more than 60 million Japanese including snacks, supplements, kitchen appliances, beauty products, and fashion to 13 markets.

    The site is now shoppable from markets including Singapore, Hong Kong, Canada, Indonesia, South Korea, and New Zealand and Ruten Japan says it will expand its product range and add more countries in the future.

    The idea started after Yun Su, CEO of Ruten, saw the increasing demand for Japanese products after traveling became almost impossible with the advent of Covid-19.

    The company has also dedicated a separate category for Covid-19 related products, including facial masks, automatic liquid soap dispensers, infrared thermometers and anti-splatter protective face shields.

    In celebration of its global launch, customers will enjoy free international shipping for orders more than US$50. According to the company, the average delivery time within Asian countries is seven working days.

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  • Japanese premium grocer Guu San opens in Hong Kong

    Japanese premium grocer Guu San opens in Hong Kong

    Independent premium Japanese grocery and lifestyle store, Guu San has opened its first store in Hong Kong.

    Guu San (Guu for valley, San for sanctuary) is an anchor of the new H Zentre commercial building located at Tsim Tsa Tsui. The 5000sqft store is designed to be a one-stop-shop where consumers can eat, shop, and rest – indoors and out.

    The space is divided into three zones: Sawaya, for non-packaged bulk-buy food following the zero waste trend, alongside snacks, beverages and fresh fruit and vegetables delivered from Japan.

    A ‘Kome Korner’ retails light meals made in-store such as omusubi (rice balls), soup, and other vegetable dishes paired with tea from Uji and Kyoto. A salad bar dubbed the ‘Salfee Bar’ will feature new salad varieties daily.

    The store also features an interactive LED art installation that changes scenes and animations according to the time of the day.

    The retailer says it sources high-quality foods ranging from local organic produce fresh from the market to curated snacks and tea delivered from Japan.

    The opening of Guu San follows the trend towards the Japanese retailing of groceries and food, which is showing strong momentum in Hong Kong. Don Don Donki recently expanded to its sixth flagship in the territory, Muji has opened its largest store, at Olympian City, and Yata department store has unveiled plans for a convenience store concept.

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  • Hermes Japan opens a new store in Osaka

    Hermes Japan opens a new store in Osaka

    Luxury fashion house Hermes has opened a new store in Osaka, its fourth store in the city. Located at Parco shopping center, the new Hermes store spans two stories and occupies a 515sqm space.

    Designed by the Parisian architecture agency RDAI, the store facade features floor-to-ceiling undulating glass windows, creating a “water-like effect” on both floors. Meanwhile, the store interior is decorated with ropes hanging from the ceiling, showcasing traditional Japanese craftsmanship with the Kumihimo braiding technique.

    Hermes’ silk collections, including the new double-sized scarves, are displayed at the store’s center while ready-to-wear collections are presented at both sides of the store. Far end of the store is an “intimate salon”, featuring women’s accessories, including shoes, jewelry, and watches.

    The new Hermes Osaka store features a bar and a made-to-measure service on the upper floor.

    “Echoing the annual theme for 2020, Innovation in the Making, this new retail space mirrors Hermes’ tribute to the human hand and to the ingenuity of its artisans,” the company said in a statement.

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  • Uniqlo launches initiative to recycle its products

    Uniqlo launches initiative to recycle its products

    Japanese apparel business Uniqlo has launched a recycling initiative aimed at reducing the footprint of its products being improperly disposed of.

    Called Re.Uniqlo, the program enables the business to recycle old clothes into new clothes, redistributing old clothes to people in need, and, in Japan only, recycling old clothes into fuel and materials.

    Goods to be recycled can be taken into Uniqlo stores and deposited within Re.Uniqlo boxes. All Uniqlo items are accepted, but the business asks that customers wash clothing beforehand and ensure there are no personal belongings included.

    “We collect second-hand Uniqlo clothes in stores for reuse and deliver them to people in need worldwide in the form of emergency clothing aid for refugee camps and disaster areas together with the United Nations Refugee Agency, NGOs and NPO,” Uniqlo said on its Re.Uniqulo website.

    “And recently, we have been actively recycling clothes into clothes, starting with our own products.”

    The business’s first recycled product, a down jacket, will be on sale later this month.

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  • Foodpanda planning six locations in Japan

    Foodpanda planning six locations in Japan

    Food-delivery service Foodpanda is to launch in Japan, its 12th market in Asia.

    During the first phase of the launch, Foodpanda will roll out its service in six cities, including Nagoya, Sapporo, and Hiroshima. The move is part of Foodpanda’s strategy to strengthen its presence in Asia Pacific, with Japan one of the largest and most mature of the region’s consumer markets.

    The service has been launched in three cities – Kobe, Yokohama, and Nagoya – with Foodpanda saying it will commence in other cities from October 1.

    “This is a market we have long admired, and this market expansion is an important step in making food and grocery delivery accessible to everyone in Asia,” says Eric Wei, CEO at Foodpanda Japan.

    Foodpanda Japan will also invest to grow its quick-commerce, where customers will be able to get their groceries within 25 minutes. The Foodpanda app will also offer an in-store pick-up feature.

    The demand for food delivery in Japan has been increasing due to Covid-19. According to Statista Market Outlook, the online food delivery segment in Japan is expected to record 23.6-per-cent growth this year.

    “In the first half of this year, we expedited onboarding and doubled the number of merchants and riders on our platform across the region so their businesses can survive the economic impact, while rider partners can continue to earn a living,” said Jakob Sebastian Angele, CEO at Foodpanda APAC.

    The company said it aims to expand to more markets in the Asia Pacific region. Founded in 2012, Foodpanda operates in more than 300 cities across 12 countries.

  • Japan retail sales remain lacklustre last month

    Japan retail sales remain lacklustre last month

    Japan’s retail recovery continued to proceed slowly during August following the largest recorded single-quarter sales decline in the nation’s history.

    According to the country’s Cabinet Office, the national real gross domestic product for April to June fell by 28.1 percent year on year, performing worse than at the depths of the global financial crisis in 2009.

    WWD reported a poll of major retailers in the market, finding sales performance between the firms generally low. Uniqlo operator Fast Retailing was an exception, seeing a 29.8-pera-cent increase in same-store sales growth during August, with summer products selling fast in the midst of the current Japanese heatwave. About 90 Uniqlo stores are still operating below peak hours, however, two have been permanently shuttered and six remain closed due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

    In contrast, Isetan Mitsukoshi saw sales drop by 29.1 percent under last year’s results, especially hard hit at its Mitsukoshi store in an area traditionally popular with foreign travelers, where sales fell 47.8 percent. Takashimaya’s sales dropped 18.8 percent against August figures for last year across 13 department stores.

    “In addition to a drastic decline in tax-free sales, the effects of a heatwave and the continuing trend of people refraining from going out resulted in not being able to meet the sales levels of last year,” Takashimaya was quoted by WWD. “On the other hand, we did see the movement of items meant to make people’s time spent at home more comfortable, as well as of luxury brand goods.”

    Hankyu and Hanshin department store chains operator H2O Retailing saw a sales decline of 15 percent, with same-store sales down 26.9 percent. J. Front Retailing was hit with a sales drop of 29.4 percent year on year in August, commenting “Sales of volume fashions and food products in particular suffered”.

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  • Don Don Donki lifting off in Taiwan

    Don Don Donki lifting off in Taiwan

    Japanese discount retailer Don Don Donki is set to make its debut in Taipei. As yet, the company has not revealed any details regarding the location or opening date, however, various sources have confirmed the store will trade 24-seven in the popular shopping destination of Ximendeng.

    New of the company’s Taiwanese debut spread quickly after advertising was spotted to recruit around 400 employees.

    With over 160 branches in Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, and Hawaii, this will be Don Don Donki’s first venture in Taiwan.

    Don Don Donki is a favorite destination for Taiwanese visitors to Japan. The discounter had previously launched a free international shipping promotion on its e-commerce platform last year, proving the brand’s appeal to Taiwanese fans.

    Meanwhile, Don Don Donki’s fifth Hong Kong outlet of the year is expected to open in Central next month in October. Its owner, Japanese group Pan Pacific, has been aggressively expanding within the Asian region in the past year, from Thailand to Malaysia.

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  • Starbucks China opens first coffee outlet made of containers

    Starbucks China opens first coffee outlet made of containers

    Starbucks has just unveiled a new concept store in China created inside six repurposed shipping containers.

    An identical concept, created by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, first appeared in Taiwan. As the 800th store in Shanghai, the Starbucks container store helped set a new record for the city – it has more Starbucks stores than any other city in the world.

    The cafe is located at Shanghai’s Wisdom Bay Science Innovation Park, on space which was formerly home to warehouses and container storage yards.

    Today, the area has been gentrified, converting abandoned cargo containers into office spaces as well has housed the nation’s first museum of 3D printing.

    Elements of the Silicon Valley-esque structure have also been replicated inside the store to create ‘cultural coffee experiences’, an art gallery and a wall installation art piece created by a 3D printer.

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  • 7-Eleven Japan to start home delivery from stores

    7-Eleven Japan to start home delivery from stores

    Japanese convenience-store operator 7-Eleven is launching a home-delivery service from its outlets to meet continued demand sparked by the Covid-19 outbreak.

    The service will commence this year initially with 100 Tokyo stores, to be expanded to 1000 from next year. The service will take on other e-commerce operators in the territory such as Amazon with a 30-minutes target delivery time and by accepting late-night ordering, partnering with Seino Group to handle logistics.

    Tests of the service are already being conducted at 39 stores in the Tokyo area within a limited delivery radius. Observers say a full rollout of the service may depend on 7-Eleven’s ability to secure the necessary workforce at a time of labor shortage in the market.

    The news comes as the firm deals with what may be a growth ceiling on its 50,000-store network, while e-commerce continues to blossom in Japan.

  • Hermes re-opens renovated and extended retail space in Sendai

    Hermes re-opens renovated and extended retail space in Sendai

    Luxury Maison Hermes has unveiled its refurbished store in the Fujisaki Department Store in Sendai, Japan.

    “This reopening marks a new chapter for Hermes in this Northern city of Japan, where it has been present since 2004,” the company said in a statement.

    The store’s new design is inspired by Sendai’s natural environment – the city is known as “The City of Trees” – and the floor space has been expanded to 144sqm.

    The store’s facade features floor-to-ceiling glass windows and copper-colored steel, offering a clear view of the interior from the outside.

    Designed by Parisian architecture agency RDAI, the interior was divided into two open-plan spaces. At the entrance, the floor features mosaic tiles “in subdued Havana-and chocolate-brown hues, complete with iridescent cabochons”.

    Hermes Fujisaki offers a wide selection of products, including silk collections, fragrances, and fashion accessories. The collections for the home, featuring homeware and tableware, including the new Hermes Passifolia service, complete the displays in this initial area. The store also houses a VIP lounge for “enhanced privacy”.

    “While the entrance area is characterized by mineral, airy and bright accents, the second section creates a more muted atmosphere with carefully selected fabrics and carpets,” the company said.

    “This renovated address showcases the house’s craftsmanship and freedom of creation through its exceptional objects and the enhanced experience it offers its customers and new visitors

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  • Maison Kitsune makes Thai debut at Bangkok’s EmQuartier

    Maison Kitsune makes Thai debut at Bangkok’s EmQuartier

    Maison Kitsune has opened Thailand’s first Kitsune boutique and cafe at EmQuartier shopping center in Bangkok. The boutique and cafe occupy a 145sqm area with two entrances. The store design is a fusion of Japanese and Parisian style.

    The boutique’s facade features three white arches, “creating an impression of the endless sky”. The brand’s latest collection is displayed behind the glass windows. Located in the middle of the entrance is the brand’s signature Fox.

    The store interior features brass frames and wooden elements in contrast with white walls and marble floors. Meanwhile, the Kitsune cafe wall features “ Japanese-inspired panels in varnished bamboo stalks, a nod to Thai traditional craftsmanship”. The cafe houses an outdoor area with four tables set up in front of the store.

    The cafe offers a variety of drinks to pair with sweet and savory treats. The Cafe Kitsune collection of tableware, ready-to-wear and accessories is also available to bring home.

    Maison Kitsune is a French-Japanese electronic music record label and fashion brand created in 2002 by Gildas Loaec, Masaya Kuroki and London-based company Abake.

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  • Stussy launching new store in Japan, Nagoya

    Stussy launching new store in Japan, Nagoya

    American fashion label Stussy has opened a new store in Nagoya, its 46th outlet in Japan.

    Located in Sakae, the store was designed by WP & A and offers Stussy’s full selection of apparel, accessories and footwear, including a limited-edition collection.

    The store facade features floor-to-ceiling windows with black frames. A small sign showing the brand name is installed at the corner of the store’s front – barely noticeable in images.

    The store interior features wooden and metal shelves together with wood sculptures. The walls are painted in a half-white, half-grey style while two rows of LED lighting are installed on the ceiling. Several greenery corners balance the design.

    Stussy operates more than 60 outlets across more than 10 regions including the US, Australia, Singapore and Taiwan.

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  • July retail sales in Japan slide

    July retail sales in Japan slide

    Japanese government data shows a significant drop in retail sales for July this year.

    Retail sales in Japan declined by 2.8 percent for the calendar month compared with the same period last year, reaching US$117.4 million. The decrease was higher than the median market forecast of a 1.7-per-cent drop, and compounds last month’s fall of 1.3 percent.

    Retail sales shrunk by 3.3 percent month on month, a stark contrast to a 13.1-per-cent rise in June.

    The numbers were released by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry.

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  • Japan Display to sell LCD factory to Sharp and use the cash to pay back Apple

    Japan Display to sell LCD factory to Sharp and use the cash to pay back Apple

    Back in 2014-2015, Japan Display (JDI) was considered to be Apple’s major smartphone display supplier. At that time, the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus were bringing larger-sized LCD screens to iPhone users. The original 3.5-inch display found on the first iPhone models rose to 4-inches with the iPhone 5 and to 4.7-inches on the iPhone 6. The iPhone 6 Plus carries a screen size of 5.5-inches and those sizes remained the same until 2017’s iPhone X weighed in with a 5.8-inch OLED screen.

    The iPhone X was the beginning of the end of Japan Display’s importance to the iPhone since the supplier was late to embrace OLED. JDI borrowed $1.5 billion from Apple to build a new LCD plant. With smartphone manufacturers-including Apple-turning away from LCD, JDI’s new factory was running at only 50% of capacity. Friday Japan Display announced that it will sell a smartphone display factory and the land it sits on to Sharp for 41.2 billion yen (the equivalent of $386 million). The Hakusan LCD factory along with equipment that will be sold to a customer believed to be Apple, will bring Japan Display $668 million while at the same time cutting excess capacity that has negatively impacted its earnings. This specific factory has been idle since 2019.

    The facility was supposed to have been sold by the end of this past March but the global pandemic caused the plans to change. When the factory was built, Apple covered most of the 170 billion yen cost ($1.61 billion USD) of the facility. Production started in late 2016 with up to seven million smartphone panels manufactured each month. As time went on, the number of panels churned out by the factory declined on a monthly basis. Japan Display will use the funds it receives from the sale of the plant to pay back Apple for the prepayment it made toward the facility.

    Sharp, which is owned by iPhone assembler Foxconn, will rent the necessary equipment from Apple that will allow it to produce LCD displays for older iPhone models. Sharp also expects to use the facility for developing and producing the next generation of displays including microLED screens which use millions of tiny light-emitting-diodes to produce a sharp display (no pun intended). Sharp does plan to spin-off its LCD panel business in October.

    Japan Display has lost money in 11 consecutive quarters and the company does produce the AMOLED displays that grace the Apple Watch.

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