Expert on Japan Retail and Consumer Markets, JapanConsuming

Michael Causton

Expert on Japan Retail and Consumer Markets

Real Insight on Japanese Consumer Markets

JapanConsuming

JapanConsuming is a specialist research firm producing intelligence on Japanese retail and consumer markets. Founded in 2000, JapanConsuming has become the leading provider of insights on Japanese retailers and consumer trends to retailers, brands, government agencies and investors. As well as a highly regarded monthly report on the market, JapanConsuming produces in-depth reports on retail sectors, seminars on key trends and telephone consulting to investors on trends and retailers.

JapanConsuming was founded by Michael Causton and Roy Larke. 

Event-Driven

Seven & i Holdings Co., Ltd. is a holding company which was established through the merger of Ito-Yokado Co., Seven Eleven Japan Co., and Denny's Japan. The Company plans, manages, and operates mainly convenience stores, supermarkets, and department stores.

<ul>
<li>Seven Eleven's future usually gets outlined as: Japan ex-growth and only growth is overseas. This is wrong. While the CVS sector is saturated, Seven Eleven itself has not reached saturation.</li>
<li>There are major areas of growth, both territorially and new offshoot businesses.  Seven is already 32% more efficient than Lawson but more to come.</li>
<li>Here we take a deep dive into the state of CVS retailing in Japan and how Seven Eleven does, and will, fit into this – and how it will grow.</li>
</ul>


Seven Eleven's future usually gets outlined as: Japan ex-growth and only growth is overseas. This is wrong. While the CVS sector is saturated, Seven Eleven itself has not reached saturation.
There are major areas of growth, both territorially and new offshoot businesses.  Seven is already 32% more efficient than Lawson but more to come.
Here we take a deep dive into the state of CVS retailing in Japan and how Seven Eleven does, and will, fit into this – and how it will grow.


Even in Japan, Significant Growth Potential for Seven Eleven and Other CVS

Equity Bottom-Up

ITOCHU Corporation is a general trading firm handling textiles, wood, machinery, metals, food, chemicals, construction materials, commodities, and energy related products such as oil and gas. The Company operates around the world. Itochu diversifies by operating in satellite communication and data communication businesses.

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/seven-i-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1041:1" rel="noopener">Seven &amp; I Holdings (3382 JP)</a> isn't the only consumer-facing business Itochu wants more interest in. It has also been mopping up multiple fashion and sports brands recently.</li>
<li>The latest is LeSportsac which Itochu already owned the global rights for but which didn't really translate into success in Japan.. </li>
<li>It will now run the brand with Mash Holdings – Itochu is an increasingly important partner for Mash – which is likely to IPO in a few years.</li>
</ul>



Seven &amp; I Holdings (3382 JP) isn't the only consumer-facing business Itochu wants more interest in. It has also been mopping up multiple fashion and sports brands recently.
The latest is LeSportsac which Itochu already owned the global rights for but which didn't really translate into success in Japan.. 
It will now run the brand with Mash Holdings – Itochu is an increasingly important partner for Mash – which is likely to IPO in a few years.


TSI Holdings Company Ltd. manufactures men's and women's clothing, and retails women's clothing.  The Company produces and sells coats, dresses, suits, sweaters, shirts, skirts, and pants.

<ul>
<li>TSI Holdings long managed to get away with half-hearted reforms because it was so rich.</li>
<li>Operating losses in 1H2024 and falls in sales at key brands have spurred the company to finally take real action, the last of the big apparel firms to do so.</li>
<li>The good news is that the business is so bulging with inefficiencies that it won't take much to boost income.</li>
</ul>


TSI Holdings long managed to get away with half-hearted reforms because it was so rich.
Operating losses in 1H2024 and falls in sales at key brands have spurred the company to finally take real action, the last of the big apparel firms to do so.
The good news is that the business is so bulging with inefficiencies that it won't take much to boost income.


TSI to Cull Brands and 20% of Staff and Deliver Real Profits – Finally

BIC CAMERA INC. operates electronic retail stores throughout Japan focusing on the Tokyo metropolitan area.  The Company sells audio and video equipments, electrical home appliances and telecommunication equipments.  Bic Camera also runs an Internet shopping site.

<ul>
<li>Bic Camera plans to invest in omnichannel, believing that many shoppers will continue to prefer shopping in store – and that stores are also the best way to reach tourists.</li>
<li>It will redesign stores to offer more experiential shopping and rethink its merchandise strategy.</li>
<li>It also needs to consider changes in Ikebukuro if it is to compete against the incoming Yodobashi Camera.</li>
</ul>


Bic Camera plans to invest in omnichannel, believing that many shoppers will continue to prefer shopping in store – and that stores are also the best way to reach tourists.
It will redesign stores to offer more experiential shopping and rethink its merchandise strategy.
It also needs to consider changes in Ikebukuro if it is to compete against the incoming Yodobashi Camera.


Bic Camera to Focus on Omnichannel Amidst Consumer Electronics Saturation

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>The shakeout in clothing and fashion retailing continues, with most of the good fortune spread amongst a smaller group of either very large or very small retail chains and brands. </li>
<li>In specialty, lower cost national chains largely located in the suburbs continued to increase share but premium fashion retailers also had a great year boosting profits.</li>
<li>More dramatic was the startling growth of a few department stores which helped the format increase share of the apparel market for only the 4th time in 20 years.</li>
</ul>


The shakeout in clothing and fashion retailing continues, with most of the good fortune spread amongst a smaller group of either very large or very small retail chains and brands. 
In specialty, lower cost national chains largely located in the suburbs continued to increase share but premium fashion retailers also had a great year boosting profits.
More dramatic was the startling growth of a few department stores which helped the format increase share of the apparel market for only the 4th time in 20 years.


Japan Fashion Retailing: Stores Still Popular and Profit Soars for Some