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Tag: Japan

  • Harajuku girls expected to shop at Bic Camera

    Harajuku girls expected to shop at Bic Camera

    Japanese electronics retailer Bic Camera is targeting teenage girls in a new concept store set to open in the quirky Harajuku shopping precinct.

    Harajuku has been renowned globally as a destination for cosplay fans since way before the pastime became mainstream – and it is something of a mecca for teenagers chasing hip fashion labels and indulgent confectionery and beverages.

    Bic Camera has 41 large-format stores in Japan and counts Best Denki in its shareholder ranks. It plans to sell beauty appliances including facial treatment devices and hair dryers along with cosmetics, stationery and funky smartphone cases at the new store.

    The Harajuku shop, to open on Takeshita Street this weekend, will have two floors – one underground – with a footprint of just 330sqm, making it the company’s smallest to date.

    After refining the concept, the company plans similar stores elsewhere in Japan.

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  • Japan Industrial Production On Tap For Thursday

    Japan Industrial Production On Tap For Thursday

    Japan on Thursday released preliminary October data for industrial production, setting the pace for a busy day in Asia-Pacific economic activity. Industrial output is expected to rise 1.8% on month and 7.2% on year after falling 1.0% on month and gaining 2.6% on year in September.

    Japan also will see October figures for vehicle production, housing starts and construction orders. Housing starts are expected to fall 2.8% on year to 950,000 after sliding 2.9% in September to 952,000.

    Vehicle production was up 1.7% on year in September, while construction orders plummeted 11.6%.

    China will see November numbers for its manufacturing and non-manufacturing PMIs; in October, their scores were 51.6 and 54.3, respectively.

    The central bank in South Korea will wrap up its monetary policy meeting and then announce its decision on interest rates, with the bank widely expected to keep its benchmark lending rate unchanged at 1.25%.

    South Korea also will see October numbers for industrial production and retail sales. Output is expected to add 0.6% on month and 6.1% on year after gaining 0.1% on month and 8.4% on year in September. Retail sales were up 3.1% on month and 8.3% on year in September.

    Australia will provide October numbers for private sector credit and building approvals, plus Q3 data for private capital expenditure.

    Private sector credit is expected to add 0.4% on month and 5.3% on year after gaining 0.3% on month and 5.4% on year in September.

    Building approvals are expected to sink 1.0% on month and surge 14.1% on year after adding 1.5% on month and 0.2% on year in the previous month. Capex is expected to rise 1.0% on quarter after adding 0.8% in Q2.

    New Zealand will see November results of the activity outlook and business confidence indexes from ANZ; in October, their scores were 22.2 and -10.1, respectively.

    Hong Kong will provide October figures for retail sales – which are expected to rise 6.2% on year after gaining 5.5% in September.

    Thailand will release Q3 data for current account and October trade data. In the third quarter, the current account surplus was USD8.32 billion and the financial account deficit was USD6.89 billion. In September, imports were worth USD16.47 billion and exports were at USD21.87 billion for a trade surplus of USD5.40 billion.

    Malaysia will see October numbers for producer prices; in September producer prices were up 1.1% on month and 6.0% on year.

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  • Japan’s retail sales going down

    Japan’s retail sales going down

    Following a rebound in September, Japan’s retail sales have softened again.

    Despite the 2.3 per cent spike, sales figures for last month eased 0.2 per cent year on year – the first decline in 12 months.

    Sales slipped for general merchandise (a 2 per cent drop after a 1.2 per cent lift in September) and F&B (-1.5 vs 0.6 per cent). Weak spots included fabrics, apparel and accessories (0.5 vs 5.3 per cent), and medicines and toiletries (3.2 vs 5.7 per cent).

    Retail sales in Japan averaged 4.64 per cent from 1971 until this year, reaching a high of 36.5 per cent in January 1979, and a record low of -14.3 per cent in March 1998.

    Department stores had the largest decline, 1.5 per cent, while supermarket sales were flat, losing ground from 1.6 per cent growth in September. Even convenience stores, which usually lead sales, had a mere 0.6 per cent growth last month. It was their worst performance since March 2013.

    While some retail chains are blaming October’s storms for the negative performance, observers say private consumption in Japan is still fragile.

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  • A Permanent Pokemon Cafe is Coming to Japan

    A Permanent Pokemon Cafe is Coming to Japan

    Tokyo is getting the first ever permanent Pokemon Cafe. The Pokemon Company International announced that a new Pokemon Center “DX” retail store was opening up in the Takashimaya Nihombashi, an upscale department store in Japan. One of the main draws for the new retail center is that it will also have a permanent Pokemon Cafe restaurant, which will serve Pokemon-themed dishes to shoppers and tourists.

    Pokemon Center stores are usually big draws in Japan, as they have just about every kind of Pokemon goodie imaginable. From specialty plushes and figures to clothes and even stationary, the Pokemon Centers are major retail attractions all around Japan.

    Typically, Pokemon Cafes are pop up restaurants that only exist for a few months at a time. Both Japan and Singapore have hosted Pokemon Cafes before, but this is the first time that a Pokemon cafe is putting down roots.

    The new Pokemon Center DX and Cafe is expected to be a major tourist attraction when it opens in Tokyo next year. Tokyo already has three Pokemon Center stores, including the massive “Mega Tokyo” location. The new Pokemon Center DX will be the twelfth Pokemon Center store in Japan, each of which has its own mascot Pokemon and specialty merchandise.

    The Pokemon Center and Cafe will open on March 14, 2018, so start planning your Tokyo vacation now.

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  • Cath Kidston to change focus on expansion

    Cath Kidston to change focus on expansion

    As Cath Kidston China scales back because of diluted profits, the British handmade accessory chain is rolling out an expansion in other parts of Asia.

    It’s prime focus is Japan, where it plans to nearly double its presence over the next three years. South Korea and Thailand are the next two markets flagged for growth.

    CEO Kenny Wilson says the company plans to expand to about 55 stores in Japan, a decision based on two independent studies. Known for its flowery prints, the brand is likely to pop up soon in prime spots such as Tokyo’s Shibuya and Shinjuku shopping districts as well as cities like Chiba and Shizuoka.

    Cath Kidston also plans to bolster its online presence by creating synergy between its physical stores and e-commerce shop.

    Wilson believes the brand’s initial success in Japan comes from its “pretty, feminine, cute and colourful” products. “I think people in Japan like our business, because they love handcraft.” Each Cath Kidston print is hand drawn.

    Meanwhile, the brand has been growing about 20 per cent on average across Asia Pacific and expects the demand for design-focused accessories to increase against a backdrop of continued economic growth.

    It has upped its output of leather products, tapping into the business market, while collaborative items with Disney have also helped boost sales.

    As high rents cut into profitability, the company has shifted its strategy in China. This will see it close more shops and concentrate on e-commerce.

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  • Mitsubishi Materials units falsified product data

    Mitsubishi Materials units falsified product data

    Subsidiaries of Mitsubishi Materials have falsified product data, the company said Thursday, becoming the latest major Japanese firm to admit problems with quality control.

    Affected products included rubber sealing materials used for packing and gaskets, often used to prevent leaks of liquid or gas from pipes in a wide variety of industries including aerospace and automobiles, the company said in a statement.

    The scandal also affected brass strip products for cars and other products, it said.

    Mitsubishi Materials said its subsidiaries falsified specification data before shipping some of its products to clients.

    It added the company is working with affected clients to ensure the safety of their products.

    The admission came after Japanese consumers saw a series of quality control and governance lapses at major firms including Kobe Steel, Nissan and Subaru.

    Kobe Steel has admitted falsifying strength and quality data for a string of products shipped to hundreds of clients, from automakers to plane manufacturers.

    Nissan recalled some 1.2 million vehicles after admitting in October that staff without proper authorisation had conducted final inspections on some vehicles intended for the domestic market before they were shipped to dealers.

    Subaru also recalled nearly 400,000 vehicles from its domestic market after admitting that it also allowed uncertified staff to conduct vehicle inspections.

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  • Burberry Japan to close all beauty stores before 2018

    Burberry Japan to close all beauty stores before 2018

    Burberry Japan will shutter its entire beauty retail network by 2018, comprised of Burberry Beauty and Burberry Beauty Box stores.

    Following the closing of the Yokohama store in October 2017, Burberry Beauty before December 31 will have finalised mass store closures across Japan, after the British firm’s Japanese distributor Shiseido ended the contract partnership in April 2017.

    The Japanese cosmetic giant Shiseido, who recently announced a strategic shift in operations to focus more on its own prestigious brands, formed its allegiance with Burberry back in 2015, and has since held the contract granting it distribution rights Burberry’s beauty line and fragrance in Japan.

    Under the new store approach in Japan, Burberry Beauty has already closed its Lumine Yokohama store on November 13, and the Ikebukuro Seibu store is scheduled to close on 25 December 2017.

    Moreover, the Ginza Mitsukoshi store and the Umeda Hankyu store will close on 31 December 2017.

    Japanese customers are still able to buy the brand’s makeup items from the Burberry website even after the stores close. As for Burberry fragrances, the company will look for new distributors and gradually redeploy its retail presence in Japan.

    The news follows Burberry Beauty’s new partnership with American company Coty, which has obtained the licencing rights for beauty products developed by the heritage brand.

    Kicking of in October 2017, Marco Gobbetti, CEO of Burberry, said: “Following months of hard work to ensure a smooth transition, this strategic partnership, which brings together tremendous beauty experience and expertise, has begun.”

    Coty will have overall responsibility for strategic direction on the portfolio’s development, leveraging its global capabilities in beauty strategy, innovation, supply-chain and go-to-market, working in partnership with Burberry.

    Coty CEO Camillo Pane said the firm’s “world-class ability in developing and bringing to market beauty brands will help drive a new phase of development and growth for Burberry Beauty.”

    In Japan, as well as in other Asian markets, Burberry beauty products will be sold in leading luxury beauty retailers globally as well as in remaining Burberry stores and digital channels.

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  • Tokyo Milk Cheese Factory says Hello to Bangkok

    Tokyo Milk Cheese Factory says Hello to Bangkok

    Japanese bakery chain Tokyo Milk Cheese Factory is about to take a bow in Thailand with a store at Siam Paragon in Bangkok.

    Famed for its soft milk cheesecake made from French cream cheese and Hokkaido cream, the brand also offers cheese and milk mousses wrapped in crepes, Salt & Camembert Cookies Camembert Cheesecake with a chocolate filling. There is also a Honey and Gorgonzola Cookie flavoured with Spanish rosemary and featuring a chocolate filling.

    Its arrival in Thailand is thanks to Dolnapa Thammawatana and Khanchai Ongkamongkol, who were impressed by the brand’s flavours when visiting Japan.

    Thammawatana says their shop will also introduce Cow Cow Ice, a soft ice cream in a cheesy cone, as found in the brand’s shop in Shinjuku, Tokyo.

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  • Fast Retailing to launch in India

    Fast Retailing to launch in India

    Uniqlo parent Fast Retailing has applied to open stores in India.

    The Japanese fast-fashion giant has filed an application with India’s Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion to do business in the country under the Uniqlo brand.

    “India is a market with great potential,” says Fast Retailing spokeswoman Pei-Chi Tung. The company has long been interested in entering India, but has been beaten by H&M and Zara which are already established in the apparel market Euromonitor International has predicted will grow 29 per cent to INR3.76 trillion (US$58 billion) by 2021.

    Zara owner Inditex opened a flagship in Mumbai in May, which CEO Pablo Isla says has had a strong reception. It has just started online sales as well in India.

    Fast Retailing last month reported its biggest jump in annual earnings in more than a decade, driven by a near doubling of operating profit at Uniqlo stores outside of Japan. Operating profit for the brand in China jumped 37 per cent for the year ended August 31, compared with a 6.4 per cent slump in Japan.

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  • Trading house Itochu taking on Alibaba and JD.com

    Trading house Itochu taking on Alibaba and JD.com

    Itochu and two partners are investing roughly 7.6 billion yen ($67.6 million) in an e-commerce venture selling Japanese goods to the Chinese market in hope to enhance its own forays into China’s internet sector.

    The Japanese trading house is investing around 4 billion yen into the Tokyo-based startup Inagora, with telecom KDDI and financial services company SBI Holdings providing the rest.

    Itochu previously invested around 100 million yen in the company and will now hold a roughly 20% stake, making it the second-largest shareholder behind founder and CEO Weng Yongbiao.

    Founded in 2014, Inagora operates Wandou, a Chinese-language e-tailer with some 3 million users.

    The site boasts around 40,000 offerings, with a focus on cosmetics, clothing and foods from brands including Japanese fashion label Samantha Thavasa, Swiss lingerie maker Triumph International and Japanese food producer Ajinomoto.

    China’s cross-border e-commerce market is growing rapidly. The market for goods from Japan is seen nearing 2 trillion yen in 2020. The country’s overall e-commerce leaders currently have a strong grip on the cross-border segment: Top player Alibaba Group Holding commands a roughly 40% share, while second-place JD.com and major internet player NetEase control shares in the 10-20% range.

    Itochu has already taken its first step into the cross-border market, launching a high-end site in spring 2017 with Chinese state-owned conglomerate Citic, a major partner.

    But the trading house has realized breaking Chinese heavyweights’ grip will require savvy marketing that can respond nimbly to consumer tastes — hence its turn to Inagora, which excels at creating videos highlighting the appeal of Japanese products for local consumers.

    The trading house will supply products for Inagora’s site through units including food wholesaling arm Nippon Access and Edwin, Japan’s largest maker of jeans. In addition, Itochu will have the site carry local specialty items from across Japan stocked by convenience store chain FamilyMart, another member of the Itochu group.

    Itochu Logistics, with over 100 locations in China, will also cooperate with Inagora, which plans to add warehouses to its own distribution network using money from the latest round of investment.

    The startup will also hire more sales staff to encourage companies to list their products. Forays elsewhere in Asia are on the agenda as well: The company plans to bring its business to Taiwan, Malaysia and elsewhere in 2018.

    Inagora anticipates around 15 billion yen in transactions this year, six times the 2016 level. With help from Itochu and others, the startup targets 100 billion yen in transactions in 2019 and 176 billion yen a year later.

  • Asia to dominate global grocery market by 2022

    Asia to dominate global grocery market by 2022

    The region is expected to enjoy a CAGR of 6.6%.

    Asia is expected to dominate the global grocery retail market as it is projected to add $1.2t in sales which is more than Africa, Europe and Latin America combined, according to Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD).

    IGD forecasts that Asia will enjoy a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.6%.

    Levels of consumer spending from Asia account for nearly half of additional sales generated until 2022 as the region’s grocery retail market is significantly boosted by its continuously rising population.

    Six countries from Asia secured a spot in the top 20 largest grocery markets by 2022, led by China at second place with a projected value of $1.67b.

    India follows at third place with an expected $812b value by 2022.

    Japan is at fifth place with a projected value of $455b; Indonesia notched seventh with $313b; Philippines at $153b and South Korea at $141b.

    “With China, India and Japan all in the top five, Asia’s grocery market continues to be in rude health thanks to growing populations and shoppers with more disposable income. Innovations in this market also continue apace, especially in China, where retailers are experimenting to drive the online and convenience channels,” said John Wright of IGD.

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  • Kit Kat Japan and Tokyo Banana launch banana chocolate

    Kit Kat Japan and Tokyo Banana launch banana chocolate

    Kit Kat and Tokyo Banana have released a limited-edition chocolate wafer only at Tokyo Okashi Land, Tokyo Station.

    The products combine milk chocolate and banana cream, recreating the flavour of Tokyo Banana. Chocolate boxes are also stamped with the distinctive Tokyo Banana bow logo.

    The local market-only release saw customers queuing outside the store to buy a box of the confectionery.

    The kiosk houses large screens showing the product and multi-lingual signage explaining the story behind it.

    Despite being limited edition, Nestle assures fans the Tokyo Banana Kit Kat is supplied in sufficient quantity to meet the huge demand.

    The product comes in two sizes, with packs of eight sold at ¥702 (US$6.24), and packs of 15 at ¥1296. The wrapped package includes a pair of chocolate wafer bars with a tiny banana mark, the words “Tokyo Banana” and bow logo on top.

    The product will be Introduced later at stores including airports, train stations and highway rest areas around the Kanto region.

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  • Honda recalling 900,000 minivans because seats may tip forward

    Honda recalling 900,000 minivans because seats may tip forward

    Honda Motor Co said on Saturday that it was recalling about 900,000 minivans because second-row seats may tip forward if not properly latched after being adjusted.

    The Japanese automaker said the recall covered 2011-2017 Honda Odyssey minivans, all but 2,000 of which are in North America, and that it had 46 reports of minor injuries related to the issue. Honda said it was working on a recall fix to help ensure proper latching and, in the interim, had posted a detailed instruction sheet on how to ensure seats are properly latched.

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  • Hello Cycling now can be found in 7-eleven

    Hello Cycling now can be found in 7-eleven

    Bicycle hubs are being rolled out at 7-Eleven Japan outlets in a partnership with the Hello Cycling bike-sharing business.

    The convenience store parent Seven & I Holdings has partnered with Hello Cycling, launched last year by tech company SoftBank Group and its subsidiary OpenStreet. Customers can rent and return bikes at the special 7-Eleven parking lots.

    So far the service is available at nine 7-Eleven locations in Saitama, north of Tokyo, with plans to have 5000 bicycles available at 1000 stores in the Tokyo metropolitan area and other cities by the end next year. There are about 20,000 7-Eleven stores throughout Japan.

    Hello Cycling members can search for bike-share stations and reserve bicycles via smartphone. If they register a transportation smart card, they can pick up bikes on the spot without a reservation. Payment can be made by credit card without entering the store, and bikes can be returned at any participating location.

    In February, 7-Eleven partnered with the Docomo Bike Share service, run by wireless carrier NTT Docomo, making about 150 bicycles available at 32 stores in Tokyo and elsewhere. The partnership will continue alongside the SoftBank service, which follows the Japanese debut of China’s Beijing Mobike Technology in August, with rival Ofo preparing to follow suit.

    Mercari, a Tokyo-based flea-market app company, also plans to break into bike-sharing early next year.

  • L’Occitane growth and China’s contribution

    L’Occitane growth and China’s contribution

    China was among the fastest-growing markets for cosmetics and wellbeing products group L’Occitane International for the six months to September 30.

    Along with Japan and Hong Kong, it was among the key contributing countries to overall growth.

    China’s net sales rose 18.2 per cent year on year to €60 million (US$70 million), the group’s interim results show. At constant exchange rates, the growth was 22.7 per cent, driven mainly by same-store sales growth of 15.8 per cent. As well as the recovery of China’s retail market, the company says a marketing campaign featuring Chinese artist Lu Han continued to draw traffic both online and offline.

    T-mall sales continued to grow at triple digits and were ahead of plan, and B2B also delivered an excellent performance thanks to growing orders from independent hotels and the Shangri-La chain, says L’Occitane.

    In Hong Kong, net sales edged up 0.4 per cent to €51.1 million (2.6 per cent at constant exchange rates), growth being driven mainly by the travel retail channel. As well as duty free, this included airlines in China and Japan.

    The retail market was still sluggish, and two underperforming stores were closed. There were also some temporary closures for renovations.

    Hit by typhoons

    Typhoons forced store closures in Japan, where net sales fell 4.8 per cent (1.8 per cent at constant exchange rates) to €99.4 million. Same-store sales growth was 1.4 per cent. However, e-commerce showed low double-digit growth. Melvita remained the growth engine in Japan with new stores. At the end of September, Japan had 30 Melvita outlets.

    Same-store sales deteriorated by 7.9 per cent from the first quarter for Taiwan, where net sales for the six months dropped 3.6 per cent (71 per cent at constant exchange rates) to €15.3 million.

    “Retail sales were hindered by the less-generous summer promotion offered by department stores, a couple of mediocre launches and the timing difference in anniversary sales in department stores,” says L’Occitane.

    Nonetheless, sales of skincare products stayed strong, in particular the Immortelle and Reine Blanche ranges.

    Overall, despite a challenging retail backdrop, group net sales were €548.2 million, down 0.6 per cent (up 1.1 per cent at constant exchange rates), with like-for-like sales growth 2.3 per cent.

    Gross profit margin reached 82.8 per cent, 0.6 points higher, while operating margin fell by one point, mainly because of currency exchange headwinds. Profit for the period ended at €10.7 million.

    During the year the company disposed of Le Couvent des Minimes, and excluding this and a one-off deal for L’Occitane au Brésil in September last year, the group’s sales grew by 2.3 per cent at constant rates and 0.5 per cent at reported rates.

    Retail locations increased from 3037 at the end of March to 3104 as at September 30, while the group increased its own retail stores from 1514 to 1519.

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