Retail News CRM

Tag: Japan

  • Emma dessert opens in Singapore

    Emma dessert opens in Singapore

    Japan’s Emma dessert has opened its first overseas outlet, at Singapore’s Plaza Singapura.

    Located on basement level 2 of the shopping mall, the outlet offers two exclusive products to Singapore – the Boba Taco Softie, and Charcoal Cheese-flavoured Soft Serve – along with its original menu.

    Signature items include Soft Serve with Okinawa Brown Sugar Bubble in Wafer Shell, Soft Serve in Cup with Okinawa Brown Sugar Bubble, Soft Serve in Charcoal Cone.

    Emma opened its first shop in Japan in May 2018, and now has seven outlets in Japan.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Suzuki, Mazda, Subaru Join Toyota-Softbank Self-Drive Venture

    Suzuki, Mazda, Subaru Join Toyota-Softbank Self-Drive Venture

    Five Japanese automakers including Suzuki Motor Corp and Mazda Motor Corp said they would each invest 2 percent in the on-demand, self-driving car service venture set up by SoftBank Corp and Toyota Motor Corp. Suzuki, Mazda, Subaru Corp, Isuzu Motors Ltd and Toyota’s compact car unit Daihatsu will each invest 57.1 million yen ($530,620) in the venture – dubbed Monet – in return for a 2 percent stake, the companies said in a statement.

    SoftBank and Toyota will each retain their 35% stakes in the company, which is now capitalized at $26.6 million. The latest investors join Honda Motor Co Ltd and Hino Motors Ltd, Toyota’s truck-making operations, which each own 10 percent stakes. Launched in October, the venture plans to roll out on-demand bus and car services in Japan in the next year, and a services platform for electric vehicles in the country as early as 2023 based on Toyota’s boxy “e-palette” multi-purpose vehicle.

    Monet is building up members as it joins the ride-sharing sphere which is dominated by startups such as Uber Technologies Inc, Didi Chuxing and Lyft Inc, as traditional automakers band together to compete in an industry which is placing a growing emphasis on offering vehicle services rather than selling cars to individual drivers.

    Automakers are increasingly joining forces with technology companies as well as each other as they grapple with the massive investment and software expertise required to develop these new services for which demand has yet to be tested. The new investment will see Suzuki, Mazda and Subaru deepen their partnership with Toyota, as they have already agreed to tap the R&D firepower of Japan’s biggest automaker for electric cars and other future vehicle technologies.

    Lees ook:

  • Muji Launching new Store in Denmark

    Muji Launching new Store in Denmark

    Ryohin Keikaku Japan’s board of directors has resolved the establishment of a subsidiary in Denmark by Muji Europe Holdings – its regional headquarters in Europe – for further business development.

    Regarding the territory as a growing market in one of the most developed countries in the world – with the tenth highest GDP per capita and an estimated real GDP growth of 1.7 per cent this year – RKJ and MEH have decided to enter the Danish playing field with the expectation that their experience and know-how in the European market will help in running stores.

    Denmark geographically connects the European continent and Nordic countries and has a population of 5.83 million in a land area comparable to Japan’s third largest island, Kyushu. The country ranked second in the World Happiness Report according to the United Nations this year.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Pirata Group to launch new Japanese concept Honjo

    Pirata Group to launch new Japanese concept Honjo

    Hong Kong dining concepts business Pirata Group is opening Honjo, a modern Japanese restaurant, in Sheung Wan district late next month.

    As Pirata’s second Japanese concept, Honjo will be a 120-seat venue independent from its cosy street-inspired neighbour, TMK, set to launch a few days prior. Realised by interior designer Ben McCarthy of Charlie & Rose, Honjo is designed to remind diners of a modern restaurant set in the 1950s with a retro futuristic vibe, vibrant colours and intricate details from stained glass windows to hanging light fixtures.

    “The interior of Honjo will be demurely and appropriately extravagant, a dream eclectic and quirky home complete with an expansive collection of New and Old World wines,” read press material put out by the firm. “It will be the imaginary backdrop of a typical Japanese person’s dream world, a communal aspiration shared by many. A short reprieve from reality, one enters a fantastical world where he or she lives lavishly in a home resembling a British manor from the 1950’s. Finding joy in traveling the world and being influenced by each vibrant culture visited, the dreamer will craft Honjo’s interior, philosophy and cuisine based on his or her fantasies.”

    The restaurant celebrates the ability of Japanese cuisine to absorb inspiration and concepts from other countries, with a menu that will pay homage to a combination of Japanese people’s passion for exploring new flavours as well as their Japanese origin.

    Pirata Group’s existing restaurants include The Optimist, Pici, Tokyo Lima, Meats, Chifa, Madame Ching, Chaiwala, The Loft and Hugger Mugger.

    Lees ook:

  • Japanese tax-free store operator Laox Expanding in China

    Japanese tax-free store operator Laox Expanding in China

    Japanese tax-free store operator Laox plans to raise US$94 million to expand its activities in China and boost its e-commerce footprint.

    The company will issue shares to Granda Galaxy (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Suning Appliance Group), and Global Worker (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chuben Sangyo).

    Once the funds are in the bank, Laox will further increase its investment in the Chinese market and expand its e-commerce business worldwide. Since entering the Chinese market in 2011, Laox has introduced high-quality Japanese goods and services to China through Suning’s online and offline platforms and its Tmall flagship store. In the future, Laox aims to become one of the largest suppliers of “Made-in-Japan” goods to better serve more Chinese local consumers, and plans to promote more quality products and consumption experience to other countries and regions through the Belt and Road Initiative.

    Suning believes Laox will further strengthen its close cooperation with the company in overseas purchase, commodity procurement, marketing and logistics services, thus increasing the Suning’s international influence and attracting more customers who are looking for better-quality goods.

    By the end of last year, Laox had 38 retail stores in the Japanese market, which had attracted nearly 2.5 million shop visitors in the year and achieved annual sales of about $1.12 billion.

    Lees ook:

  • Rakuten Japan Testing autonomous delivery robots

    Rakuten Japan Testing autonomous delivery robots

    A Japanese collective including Yamato Transport and Rakuten will partner with the Japanese government in a road test of autonomous delivery robots.

    A government-appointed team will monitor the testing to identify potential issues, with a special focus on safety concerns, as well as considering new operating rules for inclusion in the Road Traffic Act. The team includes representatives from Mitsubishi Estate, Japan Post, Panasonic and self-driving tech firm ZMP, as well as officials from the National Police Agency, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and local governments.

    Japan’s logistics sector, under pressure from burgeoning online sales, is currently experiencing a shortage in labour that could be answered with robot delivery units equipped with cameras and GPS capabilities, giving rise to industrial opportunities for robotic systems developers.

    The tests are expected to be wound up by March next year.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Naver’s Latest Move and the Rise of New Payment Methods in Japan

    Naver’s Latest Move and the Rise of New Payment Methods in Japan

    Trends come and go in the retail world, but one which undoubtedly appears to be here to stay is the shift in how consumers now choose to pay for goods and services.

    Physical cash has played an important part in retail for decades, but a recent announcement involving South Korean internet firm Naver has put a spotlight on how new payment methods are becoming increasingly common in Japan.

    Mobile payments system

    Earlier this month it was confirmed that the company has launched a mobile payments system which can be used in Japanese stores. According to the Korea Herald, the Naver Pay service now features a tool known as Cross-Border, which allows people to make payments via a QR code on their smartphone or tablet.

    Naver Pay chief Choi Jin-woo told the media outlet that the move was the company’s “first step” into Japan and was based around providing a “convenient service” to customers wherever they are.

    While it is thought that the move will help Koreans travelling to the country, the announcement is also arguably another sign of the major changes being seen in how people pay for different items across the world.

    Going cashless

    A huge number of countries have embraced the idea of going cashless by using new payment methods, with the likes of Canada, Sweden and the UK thought to be among those leading the way.

    The types of services which have made the move possible include Google Pay, Apple Pay and, of course, the likes of PayPal. The latter is thought to have a total user base of 277 million accounts, with 255 million of those being consumers.

    Many businesses have worked hard to keep up with the consumer appetite for new payment options, and evidence of this can be seen in a range of sectors. For example, Amazon Pay allows people to use payment methods linked to their Amazon account to pay for services on other sites. In addition, this site offering Japanese NetBet casino games gives users a chance to make deposits via a range of means including Neteller, Skrill, Entropay and Trustly. Companies like Subway and Expedia have even flirted with cryptocurrency in the past too.

    Set for growth

    According to payment technology provider InComm, it is thought that around 20 per cent of all payments in Japan are currently made with methods other than cash, and it is thought that the government is keen to boost this further in the next six years. When did the organization reveal this? In an announcement that it had partnered with DFS to launch barcode payment solutions in the country.

    The world of payments is undoubtedly changing, and it will be fascinating to see whether all of the innovations emerging in Japan will ultimately mean the country rises up the rankings when it comes to going cashless. In addition, it will be vital that retailers can stay on top of these trends to ensure they can continue to meet consumer demand.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Japanese-born Pronto Caffe & Bar is opening in Singapore

    Japanese-born Pronto Caffe & Bar is opening in Singapore

    Japanese-Italian cafe chain Pronto Caffe & Bar is opening in Singapore this week.

    Set to open on Thursday (June 13) at Capital Square, the outlet will serve breakfast sets, pastas, pizzas, desserts and coffee by day; and alcohol and bar food by night.

    The menu features a mixture of Japanese-influenced dishes, including Japanese Style of Pork and Spicy Greens, along with more traditional western fare, such as Eggplant with Bacon in Tomato Sauce pasta.

    Green tea beverages are available as well as coffee.

    First opened in 1988, and jointly owned by Suntory and UCC, Pronto now has more than 260 outlets in Japan.

    There are plans to open more outlets in Singapore next year.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Nok Air launched direct flights to Hiroshima, Japan

    Nok Air launched direct flights to Hiroshima, Japan

    The first phase is charter flights which have begun on 1st and 5th May 2019. This route is one of the many of the Nok Air’s turnaround plan by looking for the potential routes. Now, Nok Air is available and intend to create an impressive experience for the passengers.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Lush Tokyo store marks beauty brand’s largest In South East Asia

    Lush Tokyo store marks beauty brand’s largest In South East Asia

    The new Lush Tokyo store opened on Saturday is its largest yet in Asia, a three-storey, 1240sqm flagship. Billed as “a global destination, with a curation of the best of Lush as you know it,” the Lush Shinjuku store is housed in the southeast wing of Shinjuku Station, the world’s busiest railway hub. From the outside, it is hard to miss: a towering four-storey 1024cm x 352cm LED screen dominates the street frontage (the building’s fourth floor will house back-office functions for now).

    Inside, Lush Tokyo promises an “experiential, imaginative retail space showcasing Lush’s innovation in technology, with exclusive product drops, and new ways to shop”.

    Digital screens feature throughout the retail space, as well as projection installations, positioned to communicate key messages through visual content and designed to overcome language barriers.

    Coinciding with the store’s opening is the release of an upgraded Lush Labs app for Android and iOS featuring English, Korean, Japanese and Simplified Chinese. Visitors can use the app’s scan function to browse product information while in store, at home and even in the store’s digital ‘shoppable window’ which will be active 24 hours a day for customers and passers-by to scan and shop curated collections and product drops.

    Lush says using lens technology, via the app, to demonstrate products and product information is a step towards minimising packaging and reducing water wastage by showcasing products through videos.

    The content placed in windows and on the giant screen “will reflect the mood of Shinjuku at that time and aims to capture the attention of passers-by and commuters”. It will showcase Lush’s values, campaigns and creativity.

    Lush says the ambience of the new store aims to change the customer’s mood, whether it is a skin consultation, spa treatment or something sensory to speed you up or slow you down.

    “Products, treatments and experiences with benefits beyond the body exist here and build in intensity as customers move through the floors. Each floor offers an uplifting, interactive and playful space that promotes exploration and creativity with benefits beyond the body through different materials, lighting, products, content and merchandising to set the tone and spark joy.”

    The second floor offers what Lush describes as “a surreal sensory experience using colour therapy and generative art inspired by bath art to create an interactive digital mood”.

    “Innovative use of technology heightens the senses and plays with mood, data from sensors that map customer position and movement will be used to activate sounds from within the displays. This is just one way the shop can respond to individual customers, creating targeted experiences filled with surreal moments.”

    The new Lush Tokyo store opened its doors on Saturday, June 1. A spa planned for the third floor will open within the next few months and the company says it is evaluating using some of the fourth-floor space for customer engagement as well.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • UNIQLO’s Latest MANGA UT Collection Celebrates Japan’s World-famous Manga and Anime

    UNIQLO’s Latest MANGA UT Collection Celebrates Japan’s World-famous Manga and Anime

    UNIQLO’s graphic T-shirt brand, UT, launches the latest MANGA UT collection, with themes from globally popular manga and anime series. The collection is available at all UNIQLO stores through UNIQLO.com, with specific titles launching on May 27 and June 10. This year’s lineup includes a women’s range, allowing a broader range of customers to enjoy wearing their favourite manga and anime titles. Selected items from the Kids’ UT line up will only be available online and at Orchard Central Global Flagship store.

    New series appearing for the first time in this collection include Detective Conan and Boruto: Naruto Next Generations. The lineup comprises styles from a total of 14 masterpieces of manga and anime, including anime based on Weekly Shonen Jump’s Naruto: Shippuden and Gin Tama, legendary works Yu Yu Hakusho and Hunter × Hunter, and popular Weekly Shonen Sunday titles Urusei Yatsura, Ranma ½, and Inuyasha.

  • Amazon Starts to sell fresh produce online in Japan

    Amazon Starts to sell fresh produce online in Japan

    Amazon Japan is partnering with local supermarket operator Life Corp to sell fresh foods online.

    The project will commence in parts of Tokyo later this year and provide a range of produce to Amazon’s Prime Now subscribers in Japan, offering order times as prompt as two hours for delivery. It is the first time the internet giant’s Japanese unit has partnered with a supermarket chain.

    Amazon Japan will handle all deliveries and process payments under the new venture, which targets those who face challenges leaving home to go shopping, such as the elderly or busy working professionals. The firm is hoping to use the service to meet a broader demographic for its Prime Now subscriptions.

    The arrangement is an opportunity for Life to extend its current online reach, which currently covers just over half of the Tokyo metropolitan zone. Profitability remains a limiting factor for supermarkets investing in online order infrastructure in Japan.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Japanese, Taiwanese cellcos suspend Huawei device sales

    Japanese, Taiwanese cellcos suspend Huawei device sales

    The first crop of Asian operators have responded to the US trade ban on Huawei and its implication for Huawei’s access to the Android OS by freezing sales of new Huawei devices.

    Japan’s KDDI and SoftBank have both revealed plans to postpone the planned launch of Huawei’s new range of smartphones, which had initially been scheduled to launch this month.

    Meanwhile NTT Docomo has announced it will stop taking orders for the new devices, but has not yet announced plans to suspend the scheduled launch of a new high-end Huawei handset.

    But Huawei has insisted it will continue offering services and support for its existing products in Japan without disruption despite the decision.

    Meanwhile, in Taiwan, Chunghwa Telecom and Taiwan Mobile have both revealed they plan to stop selling Huawei devices after their current stocks sell out. The operators no longer intend to launch the latest crop of Huawei devices.

    The US Commerce Department last week officially added Huawei to the list of companies covered by president Donald Trump’s executive order declaring a state of emergency. The presidential declaration gave the government powers to regulate commerce by prohibiting US companies from trading with foreign companies deemed to present a national security threat.

    This decision has prompted a number of key Huawei suppliers to announce they will stop trading with the vendor – including Google, which said it will comply with the order and cut off Huawei’s access to Android.

    The Commerce Department has subsequently issued a 90-day reprieve allowing companies to continue trading with Huawei, but only to provide products and services required to maintain existing solutions.

    But Huawei will still be prohibited from using all but the open source version of Android in new devices and risks losing access to Google’s suite of services for even its existing devices after the 90-day window.

    Huawei has contingency plans in place such as its own operating system, which it has been developing for some time and promises at least some compatibility with Android apps, as well as its own app store.

    The Chinese vendor has repeatedly denied any suggestion that the Chinese government could use its equipment to spy on foreign nationals.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Japan to create 10b 14-digit mobile numbers by 2021

    Japan to create 10b 14-digit mobile numbers by 2021

    Japan’s communications ministry plans to create around 10 billion 14-digit phone numbers in anticipation of the 5G era.

    The 14-digit numbers starting with the code 020 will be introduced by 2021 at the latest.

    The current stock of 11 digit mobile numbers is expected to run out as early as the 2022 financial year.

    In response, a panel of experts has proposed to introduce the new numbers once the necessary preparations are complete, and Japan’s big three mobile operators NTT Docomo, KDDI and SoftBank have agreed to the proposal.

    Now the ministry has announced it will draft a report on the matter as early as June and aims to complete a ministerial ordinance by the end of the year.

    New numbers will be allocated to the operators early if they complete the necessary upgrades ahead of schedule, the report states.

    Japan currently uses 11 digit numbers starting with 090, 080 and 070 for mobile phones, and with 020 for IoT devices.

  • The Loft heads to China with new store Opening

    The Loft heads to China with new store Opening

    Japanese household goods store The Loft is preparing to open a new store in China’s Chengdu with local superstore business Chengdu Ito-Yokado.

    The Loft holds a 90 percent stake in the new joint venture, which has registered capital of RMB45 million (US$6.54 million).

    Chengdu Ito-Yokado is a subsidiary of fellow Japanese general merchandise retailer Ito-Yokado, which has 14 stores in Chengdu and Beijing. The Loft entered discussions with the company to form a partnership while it was evaluating opportunities for a long-term corporate strategy in Mainland China. The new joint venture now paves the way for The Loft to prepare to open its directly managed stores in Chengdu and elsewhere in China.

    The Loft, which specializes in display and layout arrangements for household accessories, cosmetics, and stationery, is one of Japan’s largest retailers of household goods with more than 100 stores in Japan. It also has a presence in Thailand. As many Chinese tourists have been visiting Loft stores, particularly Shibuya Loft in the Tokyo metropolitan area, the firm believes its stores in China will be able to attract new local customers.

    The new store is expected to launch in spring next year.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook: