Reporting and analysis on retail, e-commerce, and consumer trends in Japan, updated continuously by our newsroom.
Japanese department store sales fell 2.4 per cent in November, year-on-year, the ninth consecutive monthly decline. The Japan Department Stores Association reported total sales at 234 outlets run by 81 companies were ¥525.7 billion, (US$4.47 billion). It said…
Chinese international restaurant brand Element Fresh plans to grant development rights to franchisees across Asia, with an initial focus on Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand and Singapore. Founded in 2002, the group has nearly 40 restaurants in China, mainly in…
Nestle Japan has extended its offering from coffee to music as part of a promotional event for its Nescafe Gold Blend Barista instant coffee. It has launched a wooden musical instrument, the “Pythagorean”, which plays Christmas melodies. It is the only Rube…
Sunway Velocity Mall has opened in Cheras, with a catchment of 1.72 million residents including the nearby areas of Ampang and Kuala Lumpur. With a neo-futuristic appearance, the sphere-shaped shopping centre, known as the “KL Orb”, is set to be a landmark on…
OneWeb has raised $1.2 billion in a new funding round led by Japan’s Softbank, bringing in fresh capital for the US satellite startup to compete with Elon Musk’s SpaceX. Softbank is investing $1 billion of the total $1.2 billion and has become a strategic…
US label Dsptch Japan has opened a store in Tokyo, at Crest Omotesando in Shibuya-ku. Dsptch is a San Francisco design company that specialises in backpacks, tech cases and camera straps. It focuses on combining practicality with sleek, stylish design. Each…
The two companies plan to jointly develop IoT solutions designed to improve safety for emergency services. Japanese ICT firm Fujitsu announced a strategic partnership with DHL Supply Chain U.K. to develop new services based on wearable technology and the…
Japan’s SoftBank has launched a new cloud-based videoconferencing service using PolyCom’s RealPresence Clariti infrastructure software. SoftBank’s new PrimeMeeting service will strengthen the company’s offerings to customers looking for a flexible video…
Japan’s NTT DoCoMo has teamed up with the China Academy of Information and Communication Technology (CAICT) on research and development into potential 5G standards. As part of the collaboration, DoCoMo will join the CAICT-initiated IMT-2020 Promotion Group 5G…
Japanese premium denim brand EVISU Group Limited announced the buy-back of the retailing and franchising rights for the China market. EVISU Group Limited, the parent company, has reinvested alongside Cassia Investments, a consumer-focused private equity fund,…
Japanese lifestyle clothing and accessories brand Muji Canada is expected to expand to Vancouver next year. Known for its minimalist approach, Muji already has three stores in Toronto. It has about 300 stores outside Japan. Vancouver’s retail sector continues…
Apple Korea is going head on to Samsung on its home turf, on target to sell 2.9 million iPhones in South Korea this year, giving it a market share of about 15 per cent. At the end of last month it had sold 2.6 million iPhones, and is forecasting improved…
Dover Street Market Singapore will debut at Tanglin Village early next year, marking the fashion brand’s fourth global site. To be known as DSM Singapore, the hip Japanese concept will sell a curated range of labels. Founded by 74-year-old Japanese fashion…
Singapore-headquartered footwear brand Charles & Keith says it will close all its Japanese locations. According to a report published by Fashion Network, Charles & Keith Japan has already closed 13 stores in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, and Hakata, with the flagship…
DHL eCommerce has announced plans to build an Outbound Cross-Border eCommerce Distribution Center in Narita, Japan. The facility, expected to be completed by by April 2017, will broaden the range of e-commerce logistics services available to e-tailers and…
Japanese furniture and home-accessory retailer Nitori Holdings is ramping up its presence in China to kick-start its global expansion. It plans to open add more than eight outlets in 2018 to its present 10. Nitori aims to have 2000 stores overseas as well as…
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