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 Market Review 2019 Part I: A Stable Market but Tougher Trading All Round

Japan Fashion Market Review 2019 Part II: Winners & Losers and Key Business Trends

Workman’s Work Is Done and It Is Time to Send Him Home

Workman Breaks Out of Trade Sales with New Sports/Active Chain Promising Major Growth

Workman Vs. Decathlon: The Upcoming Battle for Japan's Sports Market

Workman: 68 Workman Plus Stores in 2020, Same-Store Sales Jump 14%

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

The outdoor market is one of the few really bright spots in the Japanese discretionary consumer economy.For the last five years, it has expanded quickly as consumers buy into the outdoor lifestyle both in the countryside and on the streets of Aoyama in Tokyo.While big names like The North Face continue to benefit, there is a new battle going on at the value end of the market and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/workman-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8467:1" rel="noopener">Workman Co Ltd (7564 JP),</a> the former retailer of workwear, is determined to win it.Workman is a workwear retailer but late last year launched a new format for the consumer called Workman Plus. It will have more than 160 stores open by March next year – and existing franchisees are queueing up to convert their Workman stores thanks to the huge jump in sales densities.

The outdoor market is one of the few really bright spots in the Japanese discretionary consumer economy.For the last five years, it has expanded quickly as consumers buy into the outdoor lifestyle both in the countryside and on the streets of Aoyama in Tokyo.While big names like The North Face continue to benefit, there is a new battle going on at the value end of the market and Workman Co Ltd (7564 JP), the former retailer of workwear, is determined to win it.Workman is a workwear retailer but late last year launched a new format for the consumer called Workman Plus. It will have more than 160 stores open by March next year – and existing franchisees are queueing up to convert their Workman stores thanks to the huge jump in sales densities.

Japanese Step Outside: Outdoor Market Jumps 7.5% as Workman Aims for Leadership