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

Japan Fashion Retailing Complete Review 2019-20: Pain Now but a Recovery Is Certain

Milleporte Counters Rakuten and Zozo on Luxury Platform

Aoyama Trading: 400 Redundancies but Aims for Relevance Through Digital and Co-Working

World's IPO: 8 for Effort but Effort Isn't Enough in Japan's Tough Fashion Market

World Aims to Use M&A to Reduce Apparel Distribution to 50% of Its Business

World Co IPO Trading - Quick Update - Unusually Low Volume Traded Might Point to More Downside

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

Apparel groups are in trouble, as <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/renown-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10158:1" rel="noopener">Renown Inc (3606 JP)'s</a><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/big-apparel-in-trouble-renown-finally-goes-under" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> bankruptcy</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sanyo-shokai-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:12308:1" rel="noopener">Sanyo Shokai (8011 JP)</a><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/big-apparel-in-trouble-sanyo-shokai-slashes-stores-and-fights-off-shareholder-pressure" target="_blank" rel="noopener">’s boardroom battles</a> exemplify, but <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/world-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27437:1" rel="noopener">World Co Ltd (3612 JP)</a> always claimed it was in better shape – particularly just before relisting.
The Kobe-based firm has now admitted even its shopping mall chains need fixing, with a raft of closures due soon but, unlike competitors, it does have real growth businesses including its new Off Price chain, &amp;Bridge and is in much better shape than competitors – but all things are relative, with the apparel sector showing clear signs of dysfunction with more closures and bankruptcies to follow.
Their demise will leave more room for the better-performing retailers and brands.

Apparel groups are in trouble, as Renown Inc (3606 JP)'s bankruptcy and Sanyo Shokai (8011 JP)’s boardroom battles exemplify, but World Co Ltd (3612 JP) always claimed it was in better shape – particularly just before relisting.
The Kobe-based firm has now admitted even its shopping mall chains need fixing, with a raft of closures due soon but, unlike competitors, it does have real growth businesses including its new Off Price chain, &amp;Bridge and is in much better shape than competitors – but all things are relative, with the apparel sector showing clear signs of dysfunction with more closures and bankruptcies to follow.
Their demise will leave more room for the better-performing retailers and brands.

Japan's Big Apparel Trouble: World to Close 350 More Stores