Reporting and analysis on retail, e-commerce, and consumer trends in Japan, updated continuously by our newsroom.
After opening its first outlet in Singapore (called Don Don Donki) this month, Japanese discount retailer Don Quijote plans to expand with even more outlets in Asia. Founding chairman Takao Yasuda sas the group is looking to open stores in Hong Kong,…
Milan-based ItalianCreationGroup, which owns Italian luxury furniture brands, plans to open 12 stores along the Silk Road over the next year. Co-founder/CEO Stefano Core says the aim of the company’s new retail strategy is to expand its global presence,…
A Japanese company will start paying part of its employees’ salaries in Bitcoin, as it aims to get better understanding of the virtual currency, a spokeswoman said on Friday. GMO Internet, which operates a range of web-related businesses including finance,…
Rakuten, Inc., a global marketing partner of the National Basketball Association (NBA), today opened its pro sports merchandise store Rakuten SPORTS ZONE to further build excitement around the NBA in Japan. The store is launching with sales of limited-edition…
For a short time only, McDonald’s Japan has added limited-edition French macarons to its menu. Imported from France, the macarons are in four flavours and have special takeout boxes. Available at McCafe by Barista outlets, the new treats come in lemon,…
Blue Bottle Coffee has opened its latest flagship café in Tokyo, the sixth one to open in the Japanese capital, as the American coffee outfit expands its retail footprint in Japan. Located in Sangenjaya, the San Francisco-based café is situated in a 50-year…
South Korean automakers face a major headwind from a weakening Japanese yen, which will boost rivals like Toyota Motor Corp. next year, a Hyundai Motor think tank said. The fall in the yen will intensify competition in major markets, such as China and the…
A Line Friends pop-up will open at luxury speciality store BoonTheShop in Seoul on Saturday. Running until January 14, the Korean character brand’s outlet will introduce its latest merchandise, BT21. The range includes dolls, cushions, fashion items,…
Japan’s Shiru Cafe concept is about to launch in the US, on a university campus in Providence. It is being introduced by Enrission America, a cafe company that specialises in free coffee for university students. Following the opening on the Brown campus,…
PTT Philippines expects to spend PHP500 million (US$9.9 million) on beefing up its retail network, including a foray into the Japanese market. President/CEO Sukanya Seriyothin says that while the bulk of the expansion for the Thai oil and gas giant PTT…
What if you paid people instantly for their used goods over the internet, with no guarantee that they would hand them over? The 36 year-old e-commerce entrepreneur, Yusuke Mitsumoto, launched an app in June 2017 to test the idea. It worked better than he…
The company that runs Pizza Hut Indonesia plans an IPO that could raise as much as US$150 million. Sriboga Raturaya has taken on advisers for a listing of its foodservice and restaurant franchising unit, which also runs the Japanese noodle chain Marugame…
UK-headquartered luxury fashion retailer Mulberry Group plans to launch in Hong Kong. Announcing its first half-year results, the brand revealed plans – but no details – to expand in both Hong Kong and Mainland China through an omnichannel strategy. Other,…
Japan’s economy grew twice as fast as originally estimated in the third quarter thanks to big gains in capital expenditure, revised data showed on Friday, with expansion seen to continue thanks to buoyant exports. The capital expenditure component of gross…
Leading robotics and automation company, GreyOrange, announced the release of its next-generation software platform, GreyMatterTM, at the launch of the latest warehouse of the Nitori Holdings Group, Japan’s largest furniture and home furnishing chain with…
A Pokemon Hub will open in Tsim Sha Tsui’s K11 art mall in time for Christmas. Few details have been released, including the opening date, but the official Facebook page has been publishing images of items on their way from Tokyo. Pokemon stores in Japan…
Weekly Briefing
Tuesday, Thursday and a Saturday Weekly Wrap: the retail stories, numbers and moves that mattered across Asia. Nothing else, and you can unsubscribe in one click.
Read by retail operators, investors and brand teams across Asia.