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

Marui to Invest ¥80 Billion over 5 Years in FinTech & Buildings

Marui: 70% of Tenants to Be Non-Merchandise

World Resets as Losses Mount for Apparel Firms

World Launches Laura Ashley Chain but It Is Not Enough

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

2020 was an annus horribilis for the apparel sector, and particularly for wholesale-centred firms. The good news is that most have come out of the crisis energised, with new ideas about how to save their businesses and some even think they can expand again through e-commerce and diversification beyond apparel.The bad news is that the new wave of cuts being announced will likely still not be enough and the leaders in the apparel sector will end this sorry period significantly diminished in size although a bit more profitable.In World's case, it has said repeatedly in the past few years that the work of restructuring is done but soon enough as announced yet another round of cuts to brands and stores. We expect a repeat next year too.

2020 was an annus horribilis for the apparel sector, and particularly for wholesale-centred firms. The good news is that most have come out of the crisis energised, with new ideas about how to save their businesses and some even think they can expand again through e-commerce and diversification beyond apparel.The bad news is that the new wave of cuts being announced will likely still not be enough and the leaders in the apparel sector will end this sorry period significantly diminished in size although a bit more profitable.In World's case, it has said repeatedly in the past few years that the work of restructuring is done but soon enough as announced yet another round of cuts to brands and stores. We expect a repeat next year too.

Big Apparel in Trouble: World Announces yet More Cuts but It Still Won't Be Enough

World Co Ltd

Big Apparel in Trouble: World Announces yet More Cuts but It Still Won't Be Enough