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

Fashion Retailing 2020-21: Leading Brands Suffer Worst Year in Modern History

Cainz Takes on Nitori with Tokyu Hands Takeover

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. 

Equity Bottom-Up

<p>Nitori+ isn’t on the radar of most apparel retail competitors because they think a furniture retailer can’t sell apparel. But, as Nitori’s 18th N+ store attests, the home furnishings retailer may have struck gold with its chain for women over 40 thanks to a mix of disciplined supply chains, simple designs and low prices – and the fact that this age group is one of the few to grow in the next decade. We expect to see around 150 stores open within the next two years.</p>

Nitori+ isn’t on the radar of most apparel retail competitors because they think a furniture retailer can’t sell apparel. But, as Nitori’s 18th N+ store attests, the home furnishings retailer may have struck gold with its chain for women over 40 thanks to a mix of disciplined supply chains, simple designs and low prices – and the fact that this age group is one of the few to grow in the next decade. We expect to see around 150 stores open within the next two years.

N+ Nitori: Fashion the New Frontier for the Japanese Giant

Nitori Holdings

N+ Nitori: Fashion the New Frontier for the Japanese Giant