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

Competition for Nitori: Online Furniture Sales Surge

Nitori, Muji Still Benefitting from a Flourishing Japan Home Decor Market

Yamada Denki and Otsuka Kagu Do The Deed - A Quick Merger

Targeting Nitori: Cainz Follows Workman’s Success into Homeware Retailing with Style Factory Chain

More Diversification to Come as Nitori Chases ¥1 Trillion

Nitori: A New Pace of Expansion in Home and Now Apparel

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. 

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

Japan Consumer durables and apparel / Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<p>Home decoration consumption has been one of the few non-essential consumption categories to show consistent positive growth in the last few years. All types of brand and retailer have benefited but, since the start of the pandemic, it has been online stores and mass market retailers like <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nitori-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20386:1" rel="noopener">Nitori Holdings (9843 JP),</a><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ryohin-keikaku-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:2765:1" rel="noopener">Ryohin Keikaku (7453 JP)</a> and the home centre retailers that have performed best. The boost from Covid aside, increased spending on home decoration is a long-term trend, supporting further growth for the leading retailers well into the future. </p>

Home decoration consumption has been one of the few non-essential consumption categories to show consistent positive growth in the last few years. All types of brand and retailer have benefited but, since the start of the pandemic, it has been online stores and mass market retailers like Nitori Holdings (9843 JP),Ryohin Keikaku (7453 JP) and the home centre retailers that have performed best. The boost from Covid aside, increased spending on home decoration is a long-term trend, supporting further growth for the leading retailers well into the future. 

Japanese Interiors Market Reaches Record High Boosting Nitori, Muji and Others