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

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

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

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

Yamada Denki's Acquisition of Otsuka Kagu Won't Save Otsuka but Will Help Yamada Go After Nitori

Nitori To Make a Rival Bid for Shimachu? More Fun To Go

A New Era of Home Centre Consolidation Starts as DCM Buys Shimachu

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. 

Event-Driven

It is almost a year since <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/yamada-denki-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:641:1" rel="noopener">Yamada Denki (9831 JP)</a> stepped in to save <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/otsuka-kagu-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:5139:1" rel="noopener">Otsuka Kagu Ltd (8186 JP)</a> from a choice of bankruptcy or acquisition by a major furniture rival. Yamada has made some improvement, but things have not gone nearly as well as hoped.As a result, Kumiko Otsuka will step down as CEO this month, ending the founding family’s direct involvement with the chain, and Yamada will probably delist the company and make it a wholly owned subsidiary.Then the real work begins as Otsuka will need an entirely new competitive position if it is to survive but should help Yamada take on <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> in the core furniture market.

It is almost a year since Yamada Denki (9831 JP) stepped in to save Otsuka Kagu Ltd (8186 JP) from a choice of bankruptcy or acquisition by a major furniture rival. Yamada has made some improvement, but things have not gone nearly as well as hoped.As a result, Kumiko Otsuka will step down as CEO this month, ending the founding family’s direct involvement with the chain, and Yamada will probably delist the company and make it a wholly owned subsidiary.Then the real work begins as Otsuka will need an entirely new competitive position if it is to survive but should help Yamada take on Nitori Holdings (9843 JP) in the core furniture market.

Otsuka Kagu to Be Absorbed by Yamada Denki as Family CEO Departs