Retail News CRM

Tag: Japan

  • Muji US to test suburbs

    Muji US to test suburbs

    Japanese lifestyle brand Muji US will take its message of minimalism to the suburbs when it opens in New Jersey’s largest mall, Westfield Garden State Plaza in Paramus, next month.

    Its 8600 sqft (798 sqm) store, on the lower level of the mall, will be the first Muji store in the state. Muji has five stores in Manhattan, and some of its high-design housewares are sold at the Museum of Modern Art.

    Muji has 400 stores in Japan and more than 300 internationally, including 11 in the US. Muji’s first store outside of Japan opened in London in 1991, with its first US store opening in 2007.

    Founded in 1980, its original name, Mujirushi Ryohin, means “no brand, quality goods”. By “no brand,” Muji means no logos on its products.

    The company’s website offers a different view of marketing from that of the typical American retailer. “We do not make objects to entice responses of strong affinity like ‘This is what I really want’ or ‘I must have this,’” it says. Rather, it strives to trigger the response “This will do”, which it says expresses “conciliatory reasoning”.

    Muji USA president Asako Shimazaki says the vibrant setting of Garden State Plaza is a perfect location for the company to reach the New Jersey market and test its first store in a more suburban community.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • One more Japanese retail brand comes to Vietnam

    One more Japanese retail brand comes to Vietnam

    Miniso, a Japanese lifestyle and fast fashion brand that sells merchandise such as homeware, bags and electronics at low prices, will be in Vietnam through a franchise deal inked with Vietnamese group Le Bao Minh.

    Le Thi Ngoc Hai – Chairwoman of Le Bao Minh Group – said the two sides signed the franchise deal in April 2016. “In August, we will open the first three stores in Hanoi and the number will double after a month. At the end of this year we will have 13 stores in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Vinh, Can Tho and Hai Phong,” she said.

    Le Bao Minh is the exclusive distributor of Canon brand in Vietnam.

    Explaining the group’s expansion into the retail sector, Hai said this plan has been implemented for three years.

    “We set up a team of experts to find opportunities for cooperation from world-renowned brands. When learning about Miniso, we find its appropriate to Vietnamese people. This Japanese brand has been very successful in Korea, Malaysia, China, the Philippines, and Thailand,” Hai said.

    Hai said with its own characteristics, Miniso will not directly compete with other retail brands in Vietnam. The targeted customers of Miniso are young people. This will be a new retail model in Vietnam.

    This group aims to open 200 shops in almost all provinces in Vietnam, creating stable jobs for about 5,000 workers in the next 5 years.

    miniso vietnam

    Miniso was founded in Japan in September 2013 by Miyake Jyunya and his Chinese partner and president of the company, Ye Guo Fu. They opened Miniso’s China office in Guangzhou the following month.

    Mr Jyunya leads a design team of about 30 in Japan, while the brand and business development team is based with Mr Ye in Guangzhou.

    The company’s first priority is to globalize the brand as they see greater business potential in other countries.

    To date, there are more than 1,110 stores in China, 25 in Hong Kong and four each in Macau and Japan. The Dubai store is currently under construction and the company will be expanding to countries such as Vietnam, Malaysia, South Korea, the United States and Italy.

    The company has increased its revenue five-fold in the past three years and reported a revenue of US$1 billion last year.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • LF Beauty to exploit Asian beauty boom

    LF Beauty to exploit Asian beauty boom

    Li & Fung Group subsidiary LF Beauty is seeking to cash in on soaring demand for beauty products in Mainland China and wider Asia.

    China’s skincare and cosmetics market is projected by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council to grow by an average annual rate of  of 12.8 per cent from this year through 2019 – considerably faster than the expected global rate of 6 per cent.

    “Asian beauty is now setting the pace for the world. China, South Korea, Japan as well as the entire Southeast Asian market, are very important for us. [That] represents about 4.5 billion in population,” said Gerard Raymond, president of LF Beauty, in an article published by China Daily.

    A large population base dominated by younger demographic distinguishes the Asian market from more mature western markets, he said.

    “The younger generation consumer knowledge and wealth is growing very fast. And they are very willing to try new and innovative things.”

    LF Beauty is partners with suppliers and retailers of product solutions including fragrances, skincare, color cosmetics, and in a one-stop-shop offer provides retailers with logistics support, merchandising systems and point-of-sale solutions.

    Raymond said in the China Daily report that “there never have been more opportunities for brands to stand out and keep pace with their consumers” than in the Asia region

    “It’s never been more challenging. In this competitive environment, we work to help many of the world’s best-loved brands to innovate, thrive and become market leaders,” he said.

    “We have seen that Chinese women now are very interested in beauty products from South Korea,” he said. “In this respect, we have already established a joint venture in South Korea, which allows us to transfer their knowledge to Chinese market directly and serve the demands of local consumers.”

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Valentino Omotesando flagship opens

    Valentino Omotesando flagship opens

    Valentino Omotesando, the Italian fashion label’s first flagship store for Japan, has opened in Tokyo.

    Valentino Omotesando flagship 2

    It covers 467 sqm on two floors at the Omotesando Hills Mall in Aoyama, and its interior design follows the new codes formulated by the brand´s creative directors, David Architects of London, and Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierrepaolo Piccioli.

    Valentino Omotesando flagship 3

    Marble columns connect the two levels, while the facade has a sculptured terrazzo facade of pillars and glass walls.

    Valentino Omotesando flagship 7

    Valentino Omotesando flagship 4

    A feature of the opening is a special window installation featuring photos and videos by artist Mariporu, including personal material and introducing his Maripol, Little Red Riding Hood.

    Valentino Omotesando flagship 8

    Valentino Omotesando flagship 5

    Valentino Omotesando flagship 6

    Proceeds from the sales of a limited-edition canvas tote bag decorated with studs, priced at 15,000 yen (US$148), will be donated by Maison Valentino to help the victims of Kumamoto earthquake, three months ago.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Self-driving bus unveiled in Tokyo

    Self-driving bus unveiled in Tokyo

    Japanese technology firm DeNA Co. showcased its first self-driving bus in Tokyo on Thursday, unveiling a vehicle that runs on electricity and can carry 12 passengers.

    The EZ10 Robot Shuttle, developed in conjunction with French company Easy Mile, will first be used at a shopping facility in Japan’s Chiba prefecture next month and has a maximum speed of 40 kilometres per hour (25 miles per hour).

    Last month bus company PostBus unveiled a self-driving electric shuttle in the Swiss city of Sion. Automated driving technology is currently in the spotlight with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigating a May 7 fatality of a Tesla Model S driver using autopilot technology.

    “We take safety very seriously,” Hiroshi Nakajima, general manager of DeNA’s automotive business, told a news conference. “Because we worry that there may be a serious accident, we take double or triple safety checks and begin from there.”

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Globe expands operations in Japan, refocuses Europe retail operations

    Globe expands operations in Japan, refocuses Europe retail operations

    Globe Telecom announced that it has expanded its operations in Asia with the establishment of GlobeTel Japan, Inc.  With this office in Tokyo, the company is in a better position to serve the communications needs of customers in the Philippines as well as the 180,000 overseas Filipinos in Japan.

    globe logo

    “We will continue to provide affordable and high-quality telecom services to our kababayans in Japan. We will also be adopting new business models to deliver meaningful products to overseas Filipinos,” said Nikko Acosta, Globe SVP for International Business.

    With the changing competitive landscape in Europe, Globe also announced it will close its offices in the UK, Italy, and Spain.  However, to continue serving its customers in the said countries, Globe maintained its popular telebabad service, DUO International, in the said markets through existing partnerships with telecom providers.

    The three offices are UK Globetel Limited and Globe Mobile Italy s.r.l., both opened in 2013, and Globete Internacional European Espana S.L. which started operations in 2014.  They are all members of the Globe Group of Companies.

    In accordance with its international business alignment, Globe will retain its offices in the USA, Singapore, and Hong Kong, as well as retail presence across key markets such as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. For more information on the international services of Globe, visit www.globe.com.ph/international.

     

  • Dutch jeans with taste of Japanese style

    Dutch jeans with taste of Japanese style

    After centuries of isolation ended in the late 1800s, Western-style fashions caught on in Japan, and now designers are adding Japanese style elements from traditional garments to Western clothing.

    Jumping on this bandwagon is Dutch label G-Star Raw with its new offering Inakaya Denim. “Inakaya” means “person from the countryside”, which is apt as the jeans are styled like the work pants customarily worn by Japanese farmers. The billowy cut should make the pants easy to move around in, as should the lightweight material used, reports Rocket News.

    Details include ankle straps for a tapered look, and an extra-large hip pocket that can accommodate smartphone and keys.
    G-Star Raw’s suggested retail price for Inakaya Denim is 25,920 yen (US$254).

    Lees ook:

  • Watson Indonesia launches expansion plan

    Watson Indonesia launches expansion plan

    Watson Indonesia plans to open up to 20 new stores this year.

    Duta Intidaya, the local Watson’s rights-holder since 2006, will use about 65 per cent of the US$6.49 million raised in its recent IPO to fund the new stores, with the balance of the cash going to repay bank debt.

    While there are more than 100 Watson stores in Singapore and more than 400 in the  Philippines, the brand is under-represented in Indonesia, where to date just 47 have opened.

    Duta Intidaya says the new stores will open predominantly in shopping malls, with one high street store planned for tourist resort Bali. Three new stores have already started trading in Jakarta this year.

    Hong Kong-based AS Watson is keen to see the brand catch up its rivals by store network numbers: Century has more than 200 stores and rival Hong Kong chain Guardian has more than 100.

    “We are still small, so we need more funds to expand and the IPO is the most proper decision at this time. We want to build a stronger brand,” Duta Intidaya director Sukarnen Suwanto told a press conference.

    Duta Intidaya plans to continue growing at a rate of 15 to 20 stores annually, and will launch online in 2017.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • TGI Friday’s Japan with Hollywood taste

    TGI Friday’s Japan with Hollywood taste

    TGI Friday’s Japan, the US franchise known for its kitschy decor and classic American fare, is opening its latest restaurant in Tokyo’s Gotanda area tomorrow – a Friday, of course.

    TGI-Friday
    Inside new TGI Friday Tokyo

    TGI is hoping to capitalise on the atmosphere at its new outlet, near Gotanda Station, with a Hollywood theme the chain says is different from the established locations in Japan. It is sited in a former cinema, and will be replete with replica Hollywood movie memorabilia and posters.

    It will feature the flair bartending shows that are a feature of the Japanese outlets.

    TGI Friday’s has more than 900 outlets in 60 countries, with the first Japanese restaurant opening in Shibuya, Tokyo, in 1999. There are more than a dozen outlets now in Japan, including the Kanto and Kansai areas.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • DoCoMo to provide 375Mbps LTE-A at Mt Fuji summit

    DoCoMo to provide 375Mbps LTE-A at Mt Fuji summit

    Japan’s NTT DoCoMo has announced plans to deploy LTE-Advanced at the summit of Mount Fuji, Japan’s highest and most famous mountain.

    The company will provide mobile services with maximum downlink speeds of 375Mbps as well as 3G service during the climbing season from July 10.

    The company will also offer a maximum downlink of 337.5Mbps on the four most heavily used routes on the 3,776 meter summit, the Subashiri, Gotemba, Fujinomiya and Yoshida trails.

    DoCoMo will also deploy Wi-Fi hotspots at some cabins on the slopes, and make shared tablets available in some cabins that support video streaming, translation app Hanashite Hon’yaku and other value-added mobile services.

    “Going forward, DoCoMo will continue to ensure that Mount Fuji climbers enjoy high-quality mobile services as part of its initiative to enhance the quality of mobile communications in expanded coverage areas around Japan,” the operator said in a statement.

    Mount Fuji is the 35th most prominent – or highest – mountain in the world and a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site.

    Lees ook:

  • NTT Data to support VietUnion payment service

    NTT Data to support VietUnion payment service

    Japanese payments company NTT Data Corporation has agreed to take on pioneer Vietnam fintech company VietUnion Online Services, which has an intermediary payment services licence issued by the State Bank of Vietnam.

    VietUnion, a group company of Saigon Construction Corp (SCC), mainly provides payment services through big chain retailers such as convenience stores.

    VietUnion has been expanding its payment business primarily through Payoo, which enables users to make payments to about 4000 stores, including supermarkets and in shopping centres.

    Payoo also has a smartphone app that can be used for internet banking, and it provides software for mobile POS systems, smart cards for transport and tuition fee management for more than 1700 schools in Ho Chi Minh City.

    With more than 30 years of experience in the payments business in Japan, NTT Data will help VietUnion expand its non-cash payment services and help develop Vietnam’s payment infrastructure.

    NTT Data will introduce Payoo and other payment services to its customers in global eCommerce and financial institutions in APAC regions through collaborations with its other companies – iPay88 in Malaysia, NTT Data Hong Kong, and NTT Data Thailand.

    Lees ook:

  • A look into the history of NEC Philippines

    A look into the history of NEC Philippines

    NEC Corporation is a Japanese multinational provider of information and communication technology products and services with headquarters in Tokyo.

    The 117-year-old firm started operations in the Philippines some 20 years ago when the local subsidiary NEC Philippines was incorporated in January 11, 1996. Gervacio points out that the global firm has been in the country as far back as the 1960s through a Manila Representative Office. In July, it will be celebrating its 20th anniversary with a conference and exhibition in Manila.

    A technology giant recognized for its cutting-edge innovation, NEC delivers IT and network solutions to business enterprises, government and individual customers in the form of software, hardware and related services. Through a combination of its advanced technologies in ICT, it is providing safety for the public and thereby helping to establish safer cities.

    Under the strategy of “Solutions for Society,” NEC offers product solutions for biometric such as facial and fingerprint recognition technology. The use of it for security and authentication purposes has become increasingly common due to its accuracy and efficiency. An example of use is the e-passport system where it has been implemented in many countries around the world, including Southeast Asia.

    The system incorporates NEC’s world-class biometric technology in facial and fingerprint recognition for secured identity protection and eradicates duplication. Ranked world No.1 by United States’ NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology), NEC offers facial recognition and fingerprint technologies deployed in solutions such as NeoFace® Watch and NeoFace® Smart ID.

    With terrorism and security threats being a growing concern in public areas and international borders, these solutions have helped law enforcement agencies and security organizations all over the world identify individuals and tighten security measures.

    With cyber attacks on a rising trend in a borderless world, NEC’s powerful advanced cyber security solutions can protect organization’s IT and security systems from various cyber threats even before it occurs.

    It recently opened its Cyber Security Factory in Singapore which complements NEC’s Security Operations Centers located in strategic parts of the world including Japan and Australia, with an aim to provide an inter-connected network to share intelligence on cyber threats and deliver 24/7 security to customers.

    NEC is known mainly to electronic experts, but its platforms and solutions are everywhere from the sky above, on land, and deep in the bottom of the ocean waters.

    Up in the sky, NEC satellites are orbiting the earth and their cloud solutions are a boon to computer and phone interface and exchange. The NEC radio systems are responsible to bounce signals to our cell phones.

    On land, the Private Automatic Branch Exchange (PABX) allows connection to a local number, while the Key Telephone System (KTS) enables multiple users control over multiple telephone lines without the requirement for an operator, system attendant or receptionist.NEC Point of Sales(POS) Solution can also be found at major retail stores nationwide.

    NEC’s presence can also be found in the bottom of the seas because the company’s thousands of kilometer long cables are lying in the ocean depths, which are responsible for transporting through fiber optic the data and communication exchanges from one country to another.

     

    Lees ook:

  • Aeon Indonesia dumps Ministop c-store partner

    Aeon Indonesia dumps Ministop c-store partner

    Aeon Indonesia has ended its partnership with its local partner in the Ministop c-store chain.

    The move will result in Aeon exiting the market temporarily while it seeks a new business partner.

    According to local media reports, Aeon teamed with Bahagia Niaga Lestari (BNL) in 2012. But after four years, the joint venture has managed to open just six stores.

    Aeon has meanwhile been expanding its Ministop network across Vietnam, the Philippines and South Korea.

    Aeon says it is committed to Indonesia and hopes to form a new joint venture.

    Lees ook:

  • Uniqlo US quietly closing stores

    Uniqlo US quietly closing stores

    Tokyo-based fast-fashion brand Uniqlo US, a 1700-store global chain with 43 US outlets, has been retrenching amid slowing sales.

    It has quietly closed five stores in the US since January, all in suburban shopping malls.

    “The US is very important to the company,” says spokesman Aldo Liguori. “We are focussing on large cities where we can open large stores.”

    As well as urban markets, Uniqlo is beefing up its customer service, says Liguori.

    Chief executive Tadashi Yanai last year said brand penetration in big cities such as New York, San Francisco and Chicago was good, “but not in the suburbs”.

    Owned by Fast Retailing, which has seven clothing brands, Uniqlo said last year that it would be scaling back its US expansion after opening 17 stores in 2014. It opened four stores last year, and has announced that three stores will be opened this year.

    Meanwhile, the brand may face competition from Irish-based discounter Primark, which is expanding in the US.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Aeon Vietnam opening second HCMC mall

    Aeon Vietnam opening second HCMC mall

    Aeon Vietnam will inaugurate its second shopping centre in Ho Chi Minh City, Aeon Mall Binh Tan, on July 1.

    Larger than Aeon Mall Tan Phu Celadon, which opened in early 2014, it has an total investment exceeding US$120 million and covers 4.6 ha. at the Hi-Tech Healthcare Park of Hoa Lam Shangri-La. It will have four floors and a basement, with a parking lot designed to accommodate 1500 cars and 4000 motorbikes at any one time.

    About 80 per cent of goods on sale at the mall, Aeon’s fourth in the country, will be made in Vietnam with the rest imported from Japan.

    A feature will be a photo-taking area for children and families, plus painting classes for children.

    Aeon targets 20 malls across Vietnam by 2020. The Japanese retailer owns 49 per cent of the Citimart store chain and 30 per cent of another local chain, Fivimart, and also runs Ministop convenience stores.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook: