Case Studies
We assisted a tech startup accelerator in Japan by undertaking Japan market startup training for innovative foreign startups aiming to capture the Japanese market.
Consumer Insights
Let’s focus on the coronavirus in Japan itself. Being so close to China and relying on Chinese tourism to boost the economy, the outbreak has inevitably had a knock-on effect in Japan. As global pandemics tend to do, coronavirus has given rise to worldwide panic as we continue to find ways of staying safe and work towards developing an effective vaccine. In this article, we outline some of the key happenings related to the coronavirus in Japan and how it has impacted thinking around certain topics.
Interviews
Japan M&A transactions have been on the rise. Since 2014, the number of outbound M&A (Merger & Acquisition) transactions from Japan increased by 58% to reach a total of 720 deals in 2019 with Asahi Group’s acquisition of Australian drinks giant Anheuser-Busch Inbev SA/NV topping the list at a value of $11.3 billion USD. 40% of the top ten outbound deals were made with European companies.
As for inbound transactions, only one of the highest ranking deals was made by a European company (Sandoz International GmbH’s acquisition of Aspen Japan KK at a value of $441 million USD), with the key companies being Japan’s Softbank and South Korea’s NAVER Corporation who increased their existing 73% stake in LINE Corporation to a complete acquisition at a value of $3.4 billion USD in December 2019.
This week, we were fortunate to have the chance to speak with Akio Fujii, a longstanding specialist in working on Japan M&A, both between Japanese companies as well as between Japanese and global companies. He kindly agreed to give us the low-down on his key professional endeavours, experiences in the M&A world, and some advice for foreign businesses looking to do deals in Japan.
Check out his latest article over on LinkedIn entitled ‘What it Takes to Change Japan’.
Consumer Insights
Yes, it’s that time of year once again. Valentines Day in Japan spells out a craving for all things chocolate. In particular, Japanese women have long been attracted to the idea of giving thoughtful homemade gifts for those they care about. And this is strongly reflected in media portrayals of Valentines Day in Japan. But which key trends being favoured by consumers this year?
Marketing
As was once the case with Starbucks in New York, Japan’s convenience stores (or konbini ) can be found on practically every street corner in both towns and cities alike. Stocking everything from daily essentials to hot or cold lunchtime snacks, photocopying and printing services, and so much more, convenience stores remain a true staple of everyday Japanese life. But with new challenges on the horizon, in this post we take a look at how the major chains (Lawson, Family Mart, 7-Eleven) have been responding.
Read more “Convenience Stores in Japan: Ubiquitous and Under Reform”
Interviews
In this post, we discuss the growing importance of Japan’s 3D printed food market, and interview Emilio Sepulveda, CEO & Founder of Natural Machines.
Industries
With ‘Veganuary’ in full swing, let’s take a look at what’s happening in the Japan vegan food sector.
Read more “The Unique Japan Vegan Food Sector: Trends in Veganism in Japan”
Consumer Insights
Because Christmas is an imported festivity, Christmas in Japan carries very different meanings compared with how we might tend to celebrate in the west. For starters, there is no Christmas national holiday or company shutdown period. Businesses remain open until the New Year. Japanese consumers treat this event as an opportunity to make memories with their partners or friends. A 2017 Rakuten survey found that around 45% of people wanted to spend Christmas with their partner, compared with just 25% who said they would enjoy it with their children. In terms of spending, on average Japanese men are tending to fork out around $90 on gifts versus $71 among women.
Read more “Promoting Christmas in Japan 2019”
Consumer Insights
Subscription-based offerings are everywhere these days. From shaving kits to medical testing and underwear to meal boxes, brands are realising how important it is to offer something regular and personalised for their customers.
Subscription services in Japan are equally growing in popularity, but not necessarily in the same way as in places like the UK where more than 58 million consumers spend around £2 billion on them. Yes, Netflix, Amazon Prime and other strong contenders are also performing well in the market, but there are many Japan-only offerings catching the eyes of consumers. As a result, subscription services in Japan rank second behind the US in terms of most prominent market, with a forecast to reach a value of $7 billion USD by 2021.
Read more “The Benefits of Subscription Services in Japan”
Consumer Insights
Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and other leading smart speakers have become a convenient addition to many households around the world. But what’s the smart speakers market in Japan like right now?
