Reporting and analysis on retail, e-commerce, and consumer trends in Japan, updated continuously by our newsroom.
Lotte Duty Free, South Korea’s No. 1 duty-free operator, opened a duty-free store in Tokyo on Thursday to target rising travelers, as part of efforts to expand its global presence. The duty-free store opened in the upscale shopping district of Ginza, the…
Global fashion chain Ted Baker overcame an uncertain backdrop in Asia to boost profits by 18.6 per cent last year. Rebecca Marks, an analyst at Verdict Retail, said Ted Baker’s strong full year results demonstrate the strength of the brand, driven by its…
Fijian Minister for Agriculture, Rural, and Maritime Development and National Disaster Management Ina Seruiratu has expressed his countrys keenness to expand cooperation with Indonesia in various fields. “We have expanded our cooperation with Indonesia in…
Lotte Duty Free anticipates that sales at its spectacular new downtown duty free shop in Tokyo’s Ginza shopping district will reach KRW150bn/$129m in its first year. At the opening today, the retailer also announced plans to open four to five stores in other…
With unseasonably warm weather at the end of last year dampening demand for winter clothing, Japanese apparel retailer TSI Holdings had weaker earnings for the year ended February 29. Its operating profit was flat at about 1 billion yen (US$8.86 million),…
Eyeing the growing tourist market, Japanese department store Takashimaya is going duty free with an airport-style store in Tokyo. Not only sales tax, but also alcohol and tobacco duties will be waived under the venture, in which the Takashimaya Tokyo store is…
Japanese snack brand Calbee has joined with Four Seas Mercantile Holdings to open its first overseas concept store “Calbee Plus” in Hong Kong, where customers can buy its famous potato chips straight from the deep fryer. Located in Lee Tung Street in Wan…
The tech sector is always a main focal point for investors and consumers’ alike as it lays down the bench mark for what will be common place for most people whether it is in the home, places of business, or recreationally. In the bustling IPO market which…
Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten has launched consumer-to-consumer mobile e-commerce app Rakuma in Taiwan. The app, first launched in late 2014 in Japan, enables the sale of goods between individual consumers via smart devices. It allows quick product…
Uniqlo Oxford St, the London flagship of the Japanese fast fashion brand, will reopen on March 18, after an extensive refit. One of the brand’s global flagships, Uniqlo Oxford St originally opened back in 2007 at No 311, six years after Uniqlo made its UK…
Starbucks baristas from across Asia took part in the first Regional Barista Championships in Hong Kong. The contest, held before more than 600 spectators, drew 2000 entries from markets including China, Thailand, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Japan and Indonesia…
Losses have forced two Seven & I store closures in regional Japan, both outlets after 40 years of trading. Seven & I Holdings, which owns the Sogo and Seibu department store chains, is closing a Sogo store in Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture, and a Seibu store in…
In a first for the market, a TimeVallee Watch Boutique has opened inside Japan Duty Free Ginza on the eighth floor of Mitsukoshi Ginza Store in Tokyo. It is based on the concept of offering multiple international luxury-watch brands, and is the first such…
Japan’s Kose cosmetics has unveiled a global marketing plan that aims to give it a strong international presence – including department store outlets in China, Malaysia and Singapore. The plan was revealed as it celebrated its 70th birthday, with a media…
Known for using fur in contemporary designs, Italian fashion brand Marni has opened its first flower cafe, in Osaka. On the third floor of the Umeda Hankyu Department Store, the 50 sqm (535 sqft) the Marni Japan cafe and shop combo is designed as a meeting…
Huawei Japan is to open its first smartphone experience store in Tokyo – but customers will not be able to buy a handset there. The Chinese phone manufacturer says it intends to use the outlet to provide services to users, improve brand influence and break…
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