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

Pan Pacific: Don Quijote Strong at Home and Abroad

Pan Pacific: New Long-Term Plan “Passion 2030” Full Steam Ahead

Donki to Ignite Off-Price Retail Market in Japan

FamilyMart Offers to Increase Its Stake in Donki: Success or Failure Will Depend on the Premium

FamilyMart Bought Some PPIH. Will Buy More PPIH.

Don Quijote: 3QFY2019 Results, Revenue Falls Short While OP Exceeds Consensus Estimates

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

Pan Pacific International Holdings / Equity Bottom-Up

Pan Pacific International Holdings (7532 JP)

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/pan-pacific-international-holdings-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:13475:1" rel="noopener">Pan Pacific International (7532 JP)</a> (PPI)’s CEO Koji Ohara will step down from running domestic operations this month to take up the reins at the company’s North American HQ in California.The move signals a major push into the USA, with Ohara suggesting that PPI could well buy its way into the market. Many foreign retailers have tried and failed to break into the US market over the past few decades but Donki already has a small foothold and may well have the backing and unique positioning to make a success of this toughest of markets. As in Japan recently, it is likely to seek acquisitions there to build a base quickly.Ohara leaves the Japan unit having hit the ¥1 trillion target for 2020 more than 12 months early. The domestic business is now the fourth biggest retailer in the country following the Uny acquisition. Despite cautious forecasts, the prospect for high returns from converting Uny stores remains very strong and, given the number of GMS chains in trouble, the possibility of PPI buying other local chains or individual stores remains likely.With organic growth at home, in Asia and now potentially the US, as well as the prospect of more M&amp;A at home and maybe even in the US, CEO Ohara's recent suggestion that PPI will emerge as a leading global retailer in the next few years may turn out to be right.

Pan Pacific International (7532 JP) (PPI)’s CEO Koji Ohara will step down from running domestic operations this month to take up the reins at the company’s North American HQ in California.The move signals a major push into the USA, with Ohara suggesting that PPI could well buy its way into the market. Many foreign retailers have tried and failed to break into the US market over the past few decades but Donki already has a small foothold and may well have the backing and unique positioning to make a success of this toughest of markets. As in Japan recently, it is likely to seek acquisitions there to build a base quickly.Ohara leaves the Japan unit having hit the ¥1 trillion target for 2020 more than 12 months early. The domestic business is now the fourth biggest retailer in the country following the Uny acquisition. Despite cautious forecasts, the prospect for high returns from converting Uny stores remains very strong and, given the number of GMS chains in trouble, the possibility of PPI buying other local chains or individual stores remains likely.With organic growth at home, in Asia and now potentially the US, as well as the prospect of more M&amp;A at home and maybe even in the US, CEO Ohara's recent suggestion that PPI will emerge as a leading global retailer in the next few years may turn out to be right. 

Donki's Big Push into the US Market Led by Current CEO