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

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

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

Yamada Denki: Selling Sofas with Consumer Electronics Is Much More Promising than It Might Seem

Consumption Trends in Japan: Rising Incomes Boosting Retailers but a Lot Going Into Savings Too

Yamada Denki & Best Denki Betrothed - Finally

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

<p><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>  is the largest consumer electronics retailer, not the best sector to be in right now, while <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> increasing looks like a has-been furniture chain.</p><p>Yamada has now acquired a major stake in Otsuka. While it claims it plans to protect Otsuka’s premium positioning for the time being, the move is really about aiding further diversification, in particular, development of Yamada’s new lifestyle formats like Smile Kan which is attempting to compete with Nitori in furniture and household goods.</p>

Yamada Denki (9831 JP)  is the largest consumer electronics retailer, not the best sector to be in right now, while Otsuka Kagu Ltd (8186 JP) increasing looks like a has-been furniture chain.Yamada has now acquired a major stake in Otsuka. While it claims it plans to protect Otsuka’s premium positioning for the time being, the move is really about aiding further diversification, in particular, development of Yamada’s new lifestyle formats like Smile Kan which is attempting to compete with Nitori in furniture and household goods.

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