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>In this in-depth review, it is clear that while Japanese clothing markets had a solid year in FY2024-25, once again the top 100 retailers outperformed by a large margin.</li>
<li>This meant they surpassed 71% share of the market but, within the specialty market alone, the top 10 retailers own 34%. This is now a clear oligopoly.</li>
<li>There are no signs of the situation changing either but rather the capacity of the leaders to invest should further expand share at the top.</li>
</ul>


In this in-depth review, it is clear that while Japanese clothing markets had a solid year in FY2024-25, once again the top 100 retailers outperformed by a large margin.
This meant they surpassed 71% share of the market but, within the specialty market alone, the top 10 retailers own 34%. This is now a clear oligopoly.
There are no signs of the situation changing either but rather the capacity of the leaders to invest should further expand share at the top.


The Great Divide: Fashion Retail’s Oligopoly

Asia Pac IPO & Placement Research, China biotech, Aequitas Research

Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

Asia Pac IPO & Placement Research, China biotech

IPOs and Placements coverage across Asia Pacific

Aequitas Research

We cover all listing across the Asia Pacific along with follow-up placements. As of Dec 2020, our team had covered 539 IPOs with a hit rate of 73.5% and 685 placements with a hit rate of 66.8%.

We combine fundamental bottom-up views with our proprietary quantitative framework to provide a holistic coverage across new listings and placements. Our coverage includes pre-IPO notes before the deal is launched, follow-up analysis once the deal is live and post-listing trading analysis as well.

Quantitative Analysis

<ul>
<li>We analyzed the changes in margin trading positions of JPX stocks as of Oct 17th. The aggregated net margin trading position is USD18,404m.</li>
<li>We tabulate league tables for top/bottom net long/short of margin trading by value, net margin buy as multiple of ADT.</li>
<li>We highlight net margin buy/sell changes in IHI, Kobe Bussan, Advantest, Disco, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, SoftBank, Fujikura, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial, Recruit, Furukawa Electric, Ihi, Kobe Bussan, Advantest, Disco.</li>
</ul>


We analyzed the changes in margin trading positions of JPX stocks as of Oct 17th. The aggregated net margin trading position is USD18,404m.
We tabulate league tables for top/bottom net long/short of margin trading by value, net margin buy as multiple of ADT.
We highlight net margin buy/sell changes in IHI, Kobe Bussan, Advantest, Disco, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, SoftBank, Fujikura, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial, Recruit, Furukawa Electric, Ihi, Kobe Bussan, Advantest, Disco.


JPX Margin Trading Weekly (Oct 17th): IHI, Kobe Bussan, Advantest, Disco

Japan Specialist

Mark Chadwick

<ul>
<li>
 For the week: Nikkei: -1.1%, TPX -0.8%, JPY 149.70 (-1.48¥), Gold +8.8%, Oil: -3.4%, BTC: -7.2%</li>
<li>A week remains a lifetime in financial markets. The exuberance that lifted Japanese equities to record highs only last week has given way to a more cautious tone</li>
<li>
Sector wise, Retail outperformed, suggesting defensive positioning, but also reflecting strong underlying business performance. Aeon, Ryohin and Fast all saw major gains. </li>
</ul>



 For the week: Nikkei: -1.1%, TPX -0.8%, JPY 149.70 (-1.48¥), Gold +8.8%, Oil: -3.4%, BTC: -7.2%
A week remains a lifetime in financial markets. The exuberance that lifted Japanese equities to record highs only last week has given way to a more cautious tone

Sector wise, Retail outperformed, suggesting defensive positioning, but also reflecting strong underlying business performance. Aeon, Ryohin and Fast all saw major gains. 


Japan Strategy Weekly | Global Jitters Spread

<ul>
<li>We analyzed the changes in margin trading positions of JPX stocks as of Aug 29th. The aggregated net margin trading position is USD17,417m.</li>
<li>We tabulate league tables for top/bottom net long/short of margin trading by value, net margin buy as multiple of ADT.</li>
<li>We highlight net margin buy/sell changes in Ryohin Keikaku, Disco, Yoshinoya, Advantest, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial, Fast Retailing, Nintendo, Fujikura, Furukawa Electric, Ryohin Keikaku, Disco, Yoshinoya, Advantest.</li>
</ul>


We analyzed the changes in margin trading positions of JPX stocks as of Aug 29th. The aggregated net margin trading position is USD17,417m.
We tabulate league tables for top/bottom net long/short of margin trading by value, net margin buy as multiple of ADT.
We highlight net margin buy/sell changes in Ryohin Keikaku, Disco, Yoshinoya, Advantest, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial, Fast Retailing, Nintendo, Fujikura, Furukawa Electric, Ryohin Keikaku, Disco, Yoshinoya, Advantest.


JPX Margin Trading Weekly (Aug 29th): Ryohin Keikaku, Disco, Yoshinoya, Advantest

Japanese Turnaround Situations, Short-Ideas, Azabu Research

Michael Allen

Japanese Turnaround Situations, Short-Ideas

Azabu Research

Azabu Research is a publishing and consulting firm focused on distressed equities in the Japanese market. We specialize in turnaround strategies, corporate combinations, divestitures, and restructuring.

Publisher of the Tokyo Turnaround Letter, which conducts the most thorough research possible of publicly available information, including forensic tests for fraudulent overstatement of assets and understatement of liabilities, as well as rigorous market and industry analysis to assess the underlying strengths of the company’s products or services, the appropriateness of the company’s turnaround strategy, and the skill of its current management team. The average length of a report exceeds 25 pages of text and tables, excluding any disclosures or executive summaries.

We have more than 30 years of experience in applying this process to distressed equities in Japan. Additionally, subscribers have free access to detailed, yet easily navigated earnings models for the target company as well as the top five comparable companies, and unlimited access to the analyst for follow-up questions.

Azabu Research also conducts be-spoke research on a project basis, and provides consulting services to companies looking to restructure, divest, make acquisitions, go public, or improve investor sentiment toward their stock.

Independent Research and Consulting Firm

<ul>
<li>Japan maybe facing an unprecedented heat wave this fall, threatening retailers' profits as high-end seasonal items may not sell </li>
<li>Six major retailers, including Fast Retailing, are at risk of serious profit declines if the weather forecasts are accurate. That's a big "IF", but wait, there's more.</li>
<li>U.S. tariffs on clothing could devastate Fast Retailing's profits there, potentially forcing them to withdraw from the U.S. market.  </li>
</ul>


Japan maybe facing an unprecedented heat wave this fall, threatening retailers' profits as high-end seasonal items may not sell 
Six major retailers, including Fast Retailing, are at risk of serious profit declines if the weather forecasts are accurate. That's a big "IF", but wait, there's more.
U.S. tariffs on clothing could devastate Fast Retailing's profits there, potentially forcing them to withdraw from the U.S. market.  


Japanese Retailer Red Alert Is the Reddest Ever

Japan

RYOHIN KEIKAKU CO., LTD. is a retailer and wholesaler of Mujirushi Ryohin brand products, which were originally a generic private-brand product.  The Company's product line includes knitwear, food, and household items

Price Gauge
52-week Range	0.00 - 0.00
Market Cap (USDm)	0.00
P/E	0.00
Dividend (Yield)	0.00

Ryohin Keikaku (7453 JP)

The Great Divide: Fashion Retail’s Oligopoly

Japanese clothing market dominated by top 100 retailers in FY2024-25, with top 10 owning 34% in specialty market, solidifying oligopoly. Leaders...

Michael Causton

JPX Margin Trading Weekly (Oct 17th): IHI, Kobe Bussan, Advantest, Disco

We analyzed JPX margin trading positions report for the past week and highlighted IHI (7013 JP), Kobe Bussan (3038 JP), Advantest (6857 JP), Disco...

Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

Japan Strategy Weekly | Global Jitters Spread

Japanese markets experienced a shift from exuberance to caution in just one week, with Retail sector outperforming and showing strong business...

Mark Chadwick

JPX Margin Trading Weekly (Aug 29th): Ryohin Keikaku, Disco, Yoshinoya, Advantest

We analyzed JPX margin trading positions report for the past week and highlighted Ryohin Keikaku (7453 JP), Disco (6146 JP), Yoshinoya (9861 JP),...

Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

Japanese Retailer Red Alert Is the Reddest Ever

Japan's retailers face profit decline due to potential heat wave this fall; U.S. tariffs likely to do far more damage to Fast Retailing's profits...

Michael Allen

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

The Great Divide: Fashion Retail’s Oligopoly

​Japanese clothing market dominated by top 100 retailers in FY2024-25, with top 10 owning 34% in specialty market, solidifying oligopoly. Leaders...

Michael Causton

JPX Margin Trading Weekly (Oct 17th): IHI, Kobe Bussan, Advantest, Disco

We analyzed JPX margin trading positions report for the past week and highlighted IHI (7013 JP), Kobe Bussan (3038 JP), Advantest (6857 JP), Disco...

Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

Japan Strategy Weekly | Global Jitters Spread

​Japanese markets experienced a shift from exuberance to caution in just one week, with Retail sector outperforming and showing strong business...

Mark Chadwick

JPX Margin Trading Weekly (Aug 29th): Ryohin Keikaku, Disco, Yoshinoya, Advantest

We analyzed JPX margin trading positions report for the past week and highlighted Ryohin Keikaku (7453 JP), Disco (6146 JP), Yoshinoya (9861 JP),...

Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

Japanese Retailer Red Alert Is the Reddest Ever

​Japan's retailers face profit decline due to potential heat wave this fall; U.S. tariffs likely to do far more damage to Fast Retailing's profits...

Michael Allen

Japanese clothing market dominated by top 100 retailers in FY2024-25, with top 10 owning 34% in specialty market, solidifying oligopoly. Leaders...

Japanese markets experienced a shift from exuberance to caution in just one week, with Retail sector outperforming and showing strong business...

Japan's retailers face profit decline due to potential heat wave this fall; U.S. tariffs likely to do far more damage to Fast Retailing's profits...