Expert on Japan Retail and Consumer Markets, JapanConsuming

Michael Causton

Expert on Japan Retail and Consumer Markets

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. 

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>With food inflation exceeding 8% in December, prices have become the focus for all supermarket retailing. </li>
<li>This is good news for those that are set up for price competition but it presents a serious challenge to the majority of chains.</li>
<li>The net result will be a widening gap in performance between the best and rest, with the former delivering both top line growth and rising margins.</li>
</ul>


With food inflation exceeding 8% in December, prices have become the focus for all supermarket retailing. 
This is good news for those that are set up for price competition but it presents a serious challenge to the majority of chains.
The net result will be a widening gap in performance between the best and rest, with the former delivering both top line growth and rising margins.


Japan's Supermarkets: The Coming Disruption

Index Rebal/Special Situations, Quiddity Advisors

Janaghan Jeyakumar, CFA

Index Rebal/Special Situations

Quiddity Advisors

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Index Rebalance

<ul>
<li>JPX-Nikkei 400 is composed of common stocks listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. It is a free-float-adjusted capped index composed of 400 constituents.</li>
<li>The base date for the August annual review is 30th June 2026. The index review results are expected to be announced on 7th August 2026.</li>
<li>In this insight, we have presented our final expectations for the August 2026 review.</li>
</ul>


JPX-Nikkei 400 is composed of common stocks listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. It is a free-float-adjusted capped index composed of 400 constituents.
The base date for the August annual review is 30th June 2026. The index review results are expected to be announced on 7th August 2026.
In this insight, we have presented our final expectations for the August 2026 review.


Quiddity JPX-Nikkei 400 Rebal 2026: End-June 2026 Ranks (FINAL EXPECTATIONS)

<ul>
<li>With convenience stores at saturation, the question is how the big 3 chains, Seven Eleven, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/lawson-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1040:1" rel="noopener">Lawson Inc (2651 JP)</a> and Familymart can grow.</li>
<li>Their long-standing reputation for innovation is deserved and they continue to adjust quickly to new realities, including during Covid. </li>
<li>They are also now creating new events, hybrid stores and even advertising revenue streams. The following is a review of the key strategies of the big 3 chains.</li>
</ul>


With convenience stores at saturation, the question is how the big 3 chains, Seven Eleven, Lawson Inc (2651 JP) and Familymart can grow.
Their long-standing reputation for innovation is deserved and they continue to adjust quickly to new realities, including during Covid. 
They are also now creating new events, hybrid stores and even advertising revenue streams. The following is a review of the key strategies of the big 3 chains.


Japan's Big 3 Convenience Stores Try to Innovate Out of Saturation

<ul>
<li>The following is an in-depth review of the Japanese retail sector in 2021-22 and is designed to provide a complete overview for any investor in Japanese retail/consumer markets.</li>
<li>FY2021-22 proved a rebound year for retailers at the sector level. But on a company by company basis, there has been radical divergence between the best and the rest. </li>
<li>We look at the reasons for this divergence and the implications for Japanese retail and consumer firms in the years ahead.</li>
</ul>


The following is an in-depth review of the Japanese retail sector in 2021-22 and is designed to provide a complete overview for any investor in Japanese retail/consumer markets.
FY2021-22 proved a rebound year for retailers at the sector level. But on a company by company basis, there has been radical divergence between the best and the rest. 
We look at the reasons for this divergence and the implications for Japanese retail and consumer firms in the years ahead.


Japanese Retailing 2021-22: What's Really Going on and What's Next?

<ul>
<li>OK Super is today the biggest single chain of supermarkets in Tokyo with a strong customer following thanks to its low prices.</li>
<li>It still aims to be the cheapest store in any local area, backed by aggressive buying and low cost operations, and will expand store openings this year.</li>
<li>Although it is a private company, it is a serious competitor to any listed supermarket chain in the Kanto area.</li>
</ul>


OK Super is today the biggest single chain of supermarkets in Tokyo with a strong customer following thanks to its low prices.
It still aims to be the cheapest store in any local area, backed by aggressive buying and low cost operations, and will expand store openings this year.
Although it is a private company, it is a serious competitor to any listed supermarket chain in the Kanto area.


Japan

H2O RETAILING CORPORATION founded in Osaka in 1929, operates railway terminal department stores.  The Company's main store is located at Hankyu terminal in Umeda (Osaka) and sells clothing, foods, sundry goods, furniture, and household utensils.  H2O Retailing also operates restaurants and coffee shops.

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H2O Retailing (8242 JP)

Japan's Supermarkets: The Coming Disruption

With Trial's IPO looming and inflation at record highs, Japan's supermarket sector is a sector ripe for disruption as pricing pressures widen the...

Michael Causton

Quiddity JPX-Nikkei 400 Rebal 2026: End-June 2026 Ranks (FINAL EXPECTATIONS)

There will be 45 ADDs and 39 DELs for the JPX-Nikkei 400 index in August 2026. We correctly predicted 75 of the 84 confirmed index changes (89%...

Janaghan Jeyakumar, CFA

Japan's Big 3 Convenience Stores Try to Innovate Out of Saturation

The big 3 Japanese convenience stores are continuing to innovate in an effort to offset saturation and changing work patterns. They will remain...

Michael Causton

Japanese Retailing 2021-22: What's Really Going on and What's Next?

There is increasing divergence between the winners and losers in Japanese retailing and the following in-depth review looks at performance in the...

Michael Causton

OK Super: Winning in Inflation Era

OK Corporation runs Japan's most successful discount supermarket operation and is a benchmark to measure its listed competitors. It is likely to...

Michael Causton

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