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Tag: Japan

  • Tokyo’s Brand Off launched in Siam Square Bangkok

    Tokyo’s Brand Off launched in Siam Square Bangkok

    Second-hand branded designer products retailer Brand Off Tokyo is about to open its first flagship store for Thailand.

    It will be run by Money Cafe Company, which owns Money Pinkoo Pawn Shop.

    Brand Off Tokyo has more than 60 branches (50 in Japan, eight in Hong Kong and four in Taiwan), with its Thailand outlet offering more than 300 designer bags, watches and jewellery items that are all 100 per cent guaranteed authentic. The 200sqm store is in Siam Square Soi 3.

    To expand its family business, Money Cafe looked into buying and selling used designer and branded goods, so it contacted Brand Off Tokyo, says CEO Shusak Tanglertsamphan.

    Gallery of the store can be viewed below :

    “We feel that using second-hand products and resources is a social responsibility that leads to waste reduction. Sharing high-value products and product satisfaction at lower costs is not only good for our customers, but also for our society and environment.” says Tanglertsamphan.

    Brand Off Tokyo is one of three original second-hand trading stores in Japan but the only one to have expanded overseas. It has product specialists on staff and is a member of the Association Against Counterfeit Product Distribution (AACD).

  • Takashimaya is more losing money than profit

    Takashimaya is more losing money than profit

    Just one of Japanese department store chain Takashimaya’s three overseas stores is currently trading at a profit.

    But the company says it believes it can make them all profitable by 2023, including a fourth store set to open in Bangkok late this year.

    The successful store is on Singapore’s Orchard Road, which opened in 1993 and is reportedly earning more than 3 billion yen (US$27.2 million) annually.

    The chain’s Shanghai store, which opened in 2012, has been hampered by delays in the completion of neighbouring projects which would have drawn higher visitor numbers, along with administration costs running over budget. According to a report published by Nikkei, the store is expected to post its seventh consecutive loss in the 12 months to February next year, but should make money in 2020.

    The Ho Chi Minh City store in Vietnam, which opened in 2016, has “struggled from the start” according to Nikkei, its offer apparently too expensive for middle-class Vietnamese consumers. The company plans to boost sales by “broadening offerings of everyday items for families” which it hopes will lead it into profit in the 2022 year.

    The planned Siam Takashimaya store will be one of the anchors of Siam Piwat’s IconSiam, currently under construction and scheduled to open late this year – possibly in October.

    Takashimaya anticipates the Bangkok store to be profitable in its first year, thanks to rent concessions.

    The company’s president, Shigeru Kimoto, said it plans to continue Southeast Asian expansion, despite the challenges to date because it sees potential in the region.

    “In the long term, we seek to capitalise on Asia’s growth,” he said.

  • UNIQLO hits Hawaii with Ala Moana Center store

    UNIQLO hits Hawaii with Ala Moana Center store

    Japanese clothing retailer Uniqlo will open a 2500sqft pop-up store at Ala Moana Center on June 1, ahead of the grand opening of its first Hawaii store at the same mall.

    With the concept “A Little Pop From Tokyo”, the pop-up will feature 200 men’s, women’s and children’s t-shirts depicting Tokyo pop culture.

    In March, the company announced it would occupy a retail space of about 17,300sqm across two levels at the centre, the country’s largest outdoor shopping mall.

    Uniqlo has more than 1900 stores in 19 markets worldwide including Japan, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.

  • Lippo, Itochu Explore Expanding Cooperation in Asia

    Lippo, Itochu Explore Expanding Cooperation in Asia

    James Riady, the chief executive officer of Lippo Group, one of Indonesia’s largest property conglomerates, met with Itochu chairman and chief executive Masahiro Okafuji in Tokyo on Monday to discuss ways to boost the companies’ cooperation in the regional healthcare sector.

    Lippo and Itochu are strategic joint venture partners in Lippo’s Healthcare operations outside Indonesia, covering 106 medical clinics serving 1.4 million Singaporeans, a hospital in China and 12 elderly medical facilities in Japan.

    The two business leaders discussed how to intensify their joint healthcare exposure across Asia and Indonesia, according to a statement from Lippo Group.

    Itochu is one of Japan’s largest and most profitable “sogo shosha” general trading groups with global operations and over $43 billion annual revenue in 2017 fiscal year.

    Lippo is Indonesia’s leading integrated services groups with operations in nine countries, including in Singapore, Hong Kong, China and the United States.

    Lippo’s 115,000 staff and employees serve over sixty million customers in various asset categories, including department stores, hypermarkets, malls, housing developments, hospitals, broadband and internet, technology and digital services, media, hotels, banking and financial services and township developments.

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  • Lippo Urges Deeper Indonesia-Japan Business Ties

    Lippo Urges Deeper Indonesia-Japan Business Ties

    The Lippo Group, one of Indonesia’s largest conglomerates, has called for deeper ties between the Japanese and Indonesian business communities to help realize the Southeast Asian country’s high investment potential over the next decade.

    Japan has long been a major source for foreign direct investment in Indonesia, influencing a wide range of sectors, from mining and basic industries to automotive and public transportation.

    “Japan has been critical to Indonesia’s modern development. Today, as Indonesia continues to be a go-to market for textile, automotive, chemical and technology manufacturing, and more, Indonesia continues to be an attractive, high-potential business opportunity,” Lippo Group chief executive James Riady said on the sidelines of the Nikkei Asia300 Forum in Tokyo on Monday.

    “We began our relationship with the Japanese business community over 30 years ago. It began with investment projects with various reputable Japanese banks,” James said.

    “Today, we are proud to have partners in a wide range of industries, from telecommunications to data centers, property to health care, financial technology to e-commerce. We are excited about deepening and widening this range of partnerships,” he added.

    Among the Lippo Group’s Japanese partners is Itochu Corporation, which is involved in the group’s health care business outside Indonesia. Lippo has worked with Mitsui & Co. since 2014 to expand mobile broadband services in Indonesia.

    Lippo opened the way for the Toyota Tsusho Corporation, the trading arm of the Toyota Group, in the Indonesian property market for the first time in 2013 with a hotel-style apartment tower project in Bekasi, West Java.

    Mochtar Riady, Lippo Group founder and chairman, used the Nikkei Asia300 Forum as an opportunity to thank Japanese partners and friends for putting their trust in the Lippo Group and the Indonesian economy. The Lippo Group believes in growing with partners and working together to achieve long-term results, he said in a statement.

     

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  • Sumitomo to increase its stake in Simple Mart

    Sumitomo to increase its stake in Simple Mart

    Japan’s Sumitomo Corporation will buy a 22 per cent stake of Simple Mart, the second-largest supermarket company in Taiwan.

    The trading company will pay around ¥4.5 billion yen (US$41.1 million) for the stake in a transaction set for August, the two sides have agreed.

    Sumitomo has a partnership with Simple Mart’s parent, Taipei-based insurance and retail group Mercuries & Associates, in drugstore businesses in Taiwan. The Japanese investment will help Simple Mart double its store count by 2023.

    Founded in 2006, Simple Mart has more than 600 stores across Taiwan.

    Sumitomo will analyse data from Simple Mart’s online sales and rewards program to identify shopper favourites and improve store systems.

  • Giordano International sales boost by online sales

    Giordano International sales boost by online sales

    E-commerce has helped boost the first-quarter bottom line for Hong Kong-based clothing retailer Giordano International, particularly in China.

    Unaudited figures for the three months to the end of March show Giordano’s overall e-business generated HK$81 million (US$10.3 million) in revenue, representing a year-on-year increase of 44.6 per cent. Of this, Mainland China accounted for 87.9 per cent, with sales growth of 28.9 per cent.

    Giordano says growth momentum continued for the mainland. “The development of the two strategic channels of e-commerce and franchising were on track and will continue to be our growth drivers in the medium term.”

    Same-store sales (CSS) rose by 16.7 per cent despite 30 non-performing stores being closed in the past 12 months.

    A decline in gross margin by 1.3 points can be attributed to greater sales contribution from e-business, says the company.

    In Hong Kong and Macau, sales for the first quarter increased by 3.8 per cent, resulting from same-store sales growth of 9 per cent partly offset by the closure of a major non-performing store. Gross margin was down by 0.9 points as a result of a longer promotion period for the late Chinese New Year.

    In a rebound since last year’s second quarter, Taiwan grew same-store sales by 19.6 per cent and comparable store gross profit (CSGP) by 25.1 per cent.

    In the rest of Asia Pacific, sales increases mainly came from store expansion in Indonesia and the acquisition of its Vietnam business since July, which contributed to 5.9 per cent of the region’s sales.

    Despite a tough macro environment, other Southeast Asia markets delivered stable sales growth. Excluding the Vietnam acquisition, gross margin would have dropped by one point.

    South Korea – a 48.5 per cent JV under an independent management team – continued to deliver positive CSGP growth.

    “Inventory rationalisation and lower product costs through shared sourcing have contributed to a substantial gross margin improvement.”

    Overall, group sales for the quarter rose by 13.4 per cent to $1.4 billion while group gross profit grew by 12.5 per cent. Same-store sales and CSGP for the quarter grew by 9.5 and 8.7 per cent respectively.

    As at the end of March, the group had a network of 2414 outlets, of which 1271 were standalone stores – an increase of 40.

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  • Maki-san sushi chain to take a bow in Japan

    Maki-san sushi chain to take a bow in Japan

    Maki-san (“Mr/Ms Roll”), a Singaporean fast-food makizushi (rolled sushi) chain with 17 locations in its home country, is set to debut in Japan with an outlet in Osaka’s Shinsaibashi district in July.

    Maki-san has its own special take on the Japanese delicacy, saying it offers customisable sushi rolls and salad bowls including “a 60 per cent original Singaporean menu, 20 per cent original Japanese menu, and 20 per cent limited seasonal menu”. House specials are available for customers opting not to design their own sushi.

    Maki-san is also known for its cute posters and illustrations on social media.

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  • 7-Eleven delivers in 2 hours in Japan

    7-Eleven delivers in 2 hours in Japan

    A two-hour delivery service for smartphone orders is about to be launched by 7-Eleven Japan, the country’s biggest convenience-store chain.

    “Net Konbini” (using the commonly shortened form of “convenience store” in Japanese) plans to cover 7-Eleven’s entire Japanese network of around 20,000 stores, following a soft launch at 25 stores in Hokkaido in October. It plans to expand the network to 1000 stores in Hokkaido by August next year.

    Users will be able to place orders 24 hours a day, nominating a delivery address and store. A range of 2800 products will be available including Japanese convenience-store staples such as rice balls and bento lunch boxes.

    “Using 20,000 stores to immediately deliver any of 2800 products is a service only 7-Eleven can provide,” says company president Kazuki Furuya.

    Delivery trucks en route through 7-Eleven outlet areas will pick up orders and drop off purchases to customers, in a tie-up between 7-Eleven and a subsidiary of logistics company Seino Holdings finalised last year.

  • Lion Air opens new Surabaya-Haikou charter route

    Lion Air opens new Surabaya-Haikou charter route

    The country’s largest private low-cost carrier, the Lion Air Group, has opened a new charter route from the East Java capital of Surabaya to Haikou, the capital of the Chinese island province of Hainan.

    Flying once a week, the fleet’s Boeing 737-900 ER aircraft will serve the new route, accommodating up to 215 passengers starting Friday.

    “We are very proud to be able to expand our international connectivity by opening a charter flight to China from Indonesia’s second biggest city, Surabaya. The new route will increase our service to customers and provide more options for those traveling from China to Indonesia,” said Lion Air Group CEO Edward Sirai in a statement?

    In collaboration with Hainan United Airlines Travel Group Co., the JT 2661 flight will depart on Fridays at 5:40 p.m. local time from Surabaya’s Juanda International Airport  and arrive at 11:45 p.m. at Haikou Meilan International Airport. The Indonesia-bound flight JT 2660 will fly Saturdays at 12:55 a.m. from Haikou and land in Surabaya at 5 a.m.

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  • NTT Docomo trials 5G at 305km/hr

    NTT Docomo trials 5G at 305km/hr

    Japan’s NTT Docomo, parent company NTT and vendor NEC have jointly achieved the first 5G transmission between a 28-GHz base station and a 5G mobile station in a car moving at 305km/hr.

    The trial also achieved a 1.1Gbps high-speed data transmission to a 5G mobile station moving at 293km/hr as well as fast handover between 5G  base stations and a 5G mobile station moving at 290km/hr.

    During the trial at the Japan Automobile Research Institute, a test environment was created using a car traveling at speeds similar to that of Japan’s bullet train high-speed railways.

    To overcome the challenges associated with long-range transmission of 28-GHz radio waves, the base and mobile stations were both equipped with beamforming and beam tracking technology.

    The 5G base station also used massive MIMO antennas with 96 elements and supporting up to two beams, and two antenna units per base station.

    Docomo also succeeded in a wireless live transmission of 4K, 120 frame per second video from a car moving at speeds of 200km/hr using NTT’s real-time 4K high frame rate HEVC codec.

    Sony Business Solutions Corporation provided the 4K camera for the trial, while Docomo Team Dandelion Racing manager Dandelion Limited tuned the trial car for an ultra-high-mobility environment and operated the car on the test course.

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  • Japan Foods profits still depend on Ramen

    Japan Foods profits still depend on Ramen

    Japan Foods Holding’s fourth-quarter net profit rose 67.8 per cent to S$938,000 (US$699,000) amid better sales from its Menya Musashi ramen restaurants and new brands.

    For the full year to the end of March, net profit grew 24 per cent to $5.8 million while revenue increased 6.5 per cent to $16.2 million for the final quarter. That increase was partly attributable to improved returns from the Menya Musashi brand as Japan Foods converted two restaurants under other brands to Menya Musashi outlets, and opened a new restaurant at the Northpoint City mall in Singapore. One Menya Musashi restaurant was, however, converted to an Ajisen Ramen outlet in Bedok Mall in March 2017.

    Japan Foods also recorded $1.6 million of extra revenue for the fourth quarter from new restaurants under the Curry is Drink and Shitamachi Tendon Akimitsu brands. However, restaurants under the Boteyju, Dutch Baby Cafe, Fruit Paradise, Hanamidori Kazokutei and New ManLee Bak Kut Teh brands saw revenue fall by $0.9 million during the period with closures and lower same-store sales.

    Japan Foods says it is “cautiously optimistic” despite challenging conditions expected in the next 12 months. The group will continue to seek to expand in Southeast Asia and Japan through JVs, acquisitions and sub-franchising.

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  • Tumi Opens a New Travel and Lifestyle Shop

    Tumi Opens a New Travel and Lifestyle Shop

    TUMI, purveyors of premium luggage and travel, business and lifestyle essentials, has opened its third London boutique

    Calling all fans of luxury travel, TUMI has opened a new boutique in London’s Covent Garden. Visit the store to browse the range of high-end bags, luggage, travel, business and lifestyle essentials.

    The stylish, 103sqm store showcases the latest TUMI products, including the new Latitude range of premium luggage.

    The design of the premier retail space is line with the chic aesthetic that TUMI is famous for.

    Sophie Ellis Bexter performed in-store at an event to celebrate TUMI’s third London opening – and fourth standalone store in the UK.

    Damien Mignot, TUMI’s General Manager Europe, hosted the party, during which guests enjoyed a menu inspired by first-class travel.

    Guests on the night included Lorraine Pascale, Pietro Boselli, Oliver Proudlock, AJ Pritchard, Neil Jones and Annaliese Dayes.

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  • Japan’s KDDI sets sights on extended reality

    Japan’s KDDI sets sights on extended reality

    KDDI is branching out into the emerging world of extended reality (XR) – which includes virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality – by forging partnership with US-based Osterhout Design Group (ODG) to jointly plan and develop XR-based smartglasses for the Japanese market.

    The Japanese operator is also teaming with various partners to conduct business trials and create XR services as the company moves toward developing new business operations using virtual characters and other XR technologies to create new business models for the coming era of widespread 5G use.

    The partnership with ODG, announced last week, will see KDDI help with the development of domestic Japanese products using the R-9 smartglasses developed by ODG. The operator will help optimize the potential of smartglasses for the Japanese domestic market through practical testing.

    According to KDDI, the R-9 smartglasses to be used in future verification tests are equipped with the Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 chipset and compatible with an AR/VR app that enables stand-alone position tracking for users.

    The R-9 smartglasses will feature a wide 50° viewing angle, and will be compatible with wide-screen displays using 22:9 and 16:9 aspect ratios. The R-9 smartglasses will also include dual stereo cameras; front camera with 13-megapixel resolution; and simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) compatibility.

    KDDI and ODG also plan to work with Qualcomm toward equipping future models with a modem function to bring cellular communications capability to smartglasses in addition to existing Wi-Fi functionality.

    KDDI and various partner companies, such as Japan Airlines, plan to begin practical testing of smartglasses in Japan in June.

    Collaborating with partners to create virtual characters and XR services

    In a separate announcement, KDDI said it is planning to start conducting business trials on the XR technologies with various partner companies beginning this month.

    Through business trials with various partner firms and applications of this technology, KDDI aims to create worlds in which people and virtual characters can communicate interactively.

    So far KDDI has worked with Crypton Future Media for the development of the Miku☆Sampo AR application. Moving forward, the operator plans to expand the AR presentation developed through Miku☆Sampo to enable users to communicate more naturally with the character.

    This will be accomplished through virtual character development capabilities unique to AI, which enable the character to recognize and understand objects and sounds, etc., in the surrounding environment, KDDI said.

    In addition, this project will include a real-time image recognition engine provided by Couger. Couger will also cooperate with virtual character AI-related technology.

    KDDI’s announcements signal the increased interests from telecoms operators in VR/AR. According to GlobalData, telecoms operators – who have a key role in enabling VR/AR services as providers of broadband and mobile network services – are exploring  revenue opportunities in VR/AR that are beyond 5G data and connectivity.

  • Shiseido opens first IPSA TR counter outside Japan

    Shiseido opens first IPSA TR counter outside Japan

    Shiseido Travel Retail has opened a new travel retail counter for its IPSA skincare range at King Power International Group’s Rangnam Complex in downtown Bangkok.

    This is Shiseido’s first such installation for IPSA outside of Japan, and comes just four months after its inaugural store opening at Narita International airport.

    Shiseido said that the counter has been designed with the concept of “Comfortable Living Space”, using the brand’s signature colours (beige, white and black) and materials such as decorative plastering finishes and sliced natural wood veneer.

    The installation also features a seven-metre curved back wall and a spacious consultation area.

    Whelan looking to “work closely” with Shiseido

    Of the new IPSA counter, Shiseido Travel Retail Asia Pacific general manager Kenji Calméjanesaid: “The brand, with its 30-year history, is already well established in Japan and China – but there is ample opportunity for growth and to open the brand’s first travel-retail counter outside of Japan is a fantastic achievement for the team.

    “IPSA has global appeal, particularly with millennials, thanks to its personalisation, minimalist packaging and simple, natural ethos on skincare and we have no doubt the brand’s momentum in the travel-retail market will continue.”

    King Power International Group senior executive vice president Susan Whelan added: “It is with much pleasure that we welcome IPSA onboard. As a brand that is fast gaining popularity with the Chinese, who form one of our biggest customer bases, we look forward to working closely with Shiseido Travel Retail to bring more quality experiences and products from IPSA to our travellers.”

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