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>FMCG retailers remained dominant and market concentration increased, with top firms expanding through consolidation. </li>
<li>Discounters, drugstores and e-commerce outperformed the market overall, while general merchandise stores and apparel/lifestyle declined.</li>
<li>Profitability varied significantly, but discounters stood out as consumers flocked to their stores to escape inflation where they could.</li>
</ul>


FMCG retailers remained dominant and market concentration increased, with top firms expanding through consolidation. 
Discounters, drugstores and e-commerce outperformed the market overall, while general merchandise stores and apparel/lifestyle declined.
Profitability varied significantly, but discounters stood out as consumers flocked to their stores to escape inflation where they could.


Japanese Big Retailers: Winners and Losers

<ul>
<li>Results for FY2022-23 provide a snapshot of winners and losers in Japan's retail sector.</li>
<li>The data shows a big improvement in performance for retailers with sales of ¥250 billion or more and the outlook is positive for most, particularly for profits.</li>
<li>This also means that market concentration is intensifying, particularly in sectors like drugstores but also now in supermarkets. We highlight the winners in each sector.</li>
</ul>


Results for FY2022-23 provide a snapshot of winners and losers in Japan's retail sector.
The data shows a big improvement in performance for retailers with sales of ¥250 billion or more and the outlook is positive for most, particularly for profits.
This also means that market concentration is intensifying, particularly in sectors like drugstores but also now in supermarkets. We highlight the winners in each sector.


Japanese Equity Specialist, Ortus Advisors

Andrew Jackson

Japanese Equity Specialist

Ortus Advisors

<ul>
<li>Tension between China and Japan look set to rise further with talks failing to ease frictions.</li>
<li>Travel names remain vulnerable despite Govt. run tour groups having less clout than they used to.</li>
<li>Medtech may do better on defensive bid and Medtronic, but Sysmex continues to slide.</li>
</ul>


Tension between China and Japan look set to rise further with talks failing to ease frictions.
Travel names remain vulnerable despite Govt. run tour groups having less clout than they used to.
Medtech may do better on defensive bid and Medtronic, but Sysmex continues to slide.


Japan Morning Connection: More AI and Tech Pain Ahead of NVDA Tomorrow

Japan Specialist

Mark Chadwick

<ul>
<li>Activist investor City Index's stake in Takashimaya is pressuring management to unlock value through asset sales and buybacks, potentially closing the stock's valuation gap with higher-rated peers.</li>
<li>Mandom's founding family and CVC propose a ¥1,960 MBO, but activists Hibiki Path and City Index oppose it as undervalued, seeking closer to ¥3,030 per share.</li>
<li>Silchester raised its Santen stake to 8.2%, signalling confidence in the ophthalmology company's growth targets and disciplined capital returns of ¥30–40bn annually.</li>
</ul>


Activist investor City Index's stake in Takashimaya is pressuring management to unlock value through asset sales and buybacks, potentially closing the stock's valuation gap with higher-rated peers.
Mandom's founding family and CVC propose a ¥1,960 MBO, but activists Hibiki Path and City Index oppose it as undervalued, seeking closer to ¥3,030 per share.
Silchester raised its Santen stake to 8.2%, signalling confidence in the ophthalmology company's growth targets and disciplined capital returns of ¥30–40bn annually.


Japan Activist Briefs | Takashimaya, Santen, Mandom, Pacific Industrial

<ul>
<li>There have been a lot of deals in the last 5 years, including M&amp;A between Japanese companies, distribution deals/licenses, foreign companies buying into Japan and Japanese buying foreign brands. </li>
<li>Consolidation is a key motivation but so are category expansion, rationalisation and buying in expertise. All these reasons and more suggest more deals to come in the next few years.</li>
<li>Here we provide a comprehensive list of deals between 2019-2025 as well as a map showing who owns who and, as important, who influences who without any paperwork at all.</li>
</ul>


There have been a lot of deals in the last 5 years, including M&amp;A between Japanese companies, distribution deals/licenses, foreign companies buying into Japan and Japanese buying foreign brands. 
Consolidation is a key motivation but so are category expansion, rationalisation and buying in expertise. All these reasons and more suggest more deals to come in the next few years.
Here we provide a comprehensive list of deals between 2019-2025 as well as a map showing who owns who and, as important, who influences who without any paperwork at all.


[Japan M&A] Who Owns Who in Fashion & Lifestyle Markets

Japan

Takashimaya Company, Limited., founded in Kyoto in 1831, operates department stores.  The Company's main stores are located in Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto. Takashimaya also operates department stores in Paris, France, Singapore, China, Australia, and New York, USA.  The Company retails clothing, foods, art objects, sundry goods, and household utensils.  The Company also operates restaurants.

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Takashimaya (8233 JP)

Japanese Big Retailers: Winners and Losers

An in-depth review of Japan retailers with sales of ¥250+ in 2025: FMCG retailers dominate with market concentration increasing, discounters...

Michael Causton

Japan's Best Performing Retailers

There were strong improvements in both sales and profits for leading retailers last year and the following insight looks at the main winners and...

Michael Causton

Japan Morning Connection: More AI and Tech Pain Ahead of NVDA Tomorrow

Some big moves down for SPE and AI related. Diplomatic tensions continue between Japan and China. JP Medtech names may get a lift from Medtronic's...

Andrew Jackson

Japan Activist Briefs | Takashimaya, Santen, Mandom, Pacific Industrial

Activist investors push for value unlocking at Takashimaya and Mandom, while Silchester shows confidence in Santen's growth and capital returns.

Mark Chadwick

[Japan M&A] Who Owns Who in Fashion & Lifestyle Markets

Recent years have seen a surge in deals between Japanese and foreign companies in lifestyle/fashion, driven by consolidation and category...

Michael Causton

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Japanese Big Retailers: Winners and Losers

An in-depth review of Japan retailers with sales of ¥250+ in 2025: ​FMCG retailers dominate with market concentration increasing, discounters...

Michael Causton

Japan's Best Performing Retailers

There were strong improvements in both sales and profits for leading retailers last year and the following insight looks at the main winners and...

Michael Causton

Japan Morning Connection: More AI and Tech Pain Ahead of NVDA Tomorrow

Some big moves down for SPE and AI related. Diplomatic tensions continue between Japan and China. JP Medtech names may get a lift from Medtronic's...

Andrew Jackson

Japan Activist Briefs | Takashimaya, Santen, Mandom, Pacific Industrial

​Activist investors push for value unlocking at Takashimaya and Mandom, while Silchester shows confidence in Santen's growth and capital returns.

Mark Chadwick

[Japan M&A] Who Owns Who in Fashion & Lifestyle Markets

​Recent years have seen a surge in deals between Japanese and foreign companies in lifestyle/fashion, driven by consolidation and category...

Michael Causton

An in-depth review of Japan retailers with sales of ¥250+ in 2025: FMCG retailers dominate with market concentration increasing, discounters...

Activist investors push for value unlocking at Takashimaya and Mandom, while Silchester shows confidence in Santen's growth and capital returns.

Recent years have seen a surge in deals between Japanese and foreign companies in lifestyle/fashion, driven by consolidation and category...