Expert on Japan Retail and Consumer Markets, JapanConsuming

Michael Causton

Michael is co-founder and partner at 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 and seminars on retail sectors and consumer trends, as well as telephone consulting/meetings with investors. 

All of JapanConsuming's team are bilingual and bi-cultural, and the company's research sources are:

Direct meetings with retailers, wholesalers, distributors, trade body staff, govt., marketing firms, academics etc.
Govt. data
Trade association data
Trade Press across all consumer sectors
Unique Network of buyers/managers/marketing staff at retail, as well as wholesalers and trading firms.
Editors/Journalists at publishing houses and PR/Ad firms.


JapanConsuming was founded by Michael Causton and Roy Larke. 

Michael Causton set up and ran a consumer distribution business in Tokyo for 10 years and developed this into a business responsible for annual imports to Japan of several billion Yen, at the same time building up an inside knowledge of how Japanese distribution works and developing a network of contacts across the industry. Seeing the lack of quality market intelligence on Japanese markets, he co-founded JapanConsuming in 2000. He divides his time between Japan and Europe/US consulting for companies, governments and investors, including providing talks, seminars, and webinars as well as writing reports and books.

Expert on Japan Retail and Consumer Markets

Big Apparel in Trouble: Renown Finally Goes Under

World Resets as Losses Mount for Apparel Firms

World Launches Laura Ashley Chain but It Is Not Enough

After Zozo: Onward Sets Sights on Digital Renaissance

Sanyo Shokai Signs Joint Venture with Spanish Brand Ecolaf but It Won't Stop the Rot

Hell Will Freeze over And (Some) Japanese Department Stores Will Increase OPM

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. 

Equity Bottom-Up

Led by Onward, the big Japanese apparel firms are slashing stores, investing in online and cutting staff and expensive head offices. <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/after-covid-the-future-for-japanese-retail-winners-losers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">As reported in our review of Japan's consumer market post-Covid</a>, the current crisis is forcing an accelerated rationalisation of retailing and distribution.Much of which sounds negative but is in fact good news for the industry. In addition, Onward and others with access to capital see the current crisis as an opportunity to buy in growth by acquiring promising brands and retailers on the cheap.There is no doubt that apparel firms like Onward face a tough three years but with so much fat to cut in terms of loss-making stores and brands, there is big potential for a sharp upward spike in operating profit too. If they can acquire some growth businesses too, they might even grow market share again.

Led by Onward, the big Japanese apparel firms are slashing stores, investing in online and cutting staff and expensive head offices. As reported in our review of Japan's consumer market post-Covid, the current crisis is forcing an accelerated rationalisation of retailing and distribution.Much of which sounds negative but is in fact good news for the industry. In addition, Onward and others with access to capital see the current crisis as an opportunity to buy in growth by acquiring promising brands and retailers on the cheap.There is no doubt that apparel firms like Onward face a tough three years but with so much fat to cut in terms of loss-making stores and brands, there is big potential for a sharp upward spike in operating profit too. If they can acquire some growth businesses too, they might even grow market share again.

Big Apparel in Trouble: Onward to Close 1,400 Stores

Onward Holdings

Big Apparel in Trouble: Onward to Close 1,400 Stores