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

Kobe Bussan: The Booming ‘Pro Supermarket’ Discounter Beloved by Japanese Consumers

Fixed Price 100 Yen Shops Bask in Growing Discount Economy in Japan

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

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)

Japan Consumer discretionary / Thematic (Sector/Industry)

Average monthly savings rates and total savings stocks have long been high in Japan, but savings rates broke all records in June 2018.
In one sense, this was a sign that the government's six-year effort to increase wages – and thus consumption and inflation – was finally bearing fruit, albeit small not very sweet fruit.
However, anxiety about the future, coupled with a lack of incentive to spend, meant that most of the increases in wages and bonuses stayed in the bank.
At the same time, while the majority hoarded, brands and retailers at both the luxury and discount ends of the market are reporting a record year, and discount retailers, in particular, are worthy long-term investments.
This demonstrates the further polarisation of the retail market but inventive marketing and solid cost performance will still unlock those wallets in premium mass markets too.

Average monthly savings rates and total savings stocks have long been high in Japan, but savings rates broke all records in June 2018.
In one sense, this was a sign that the government's six-year effort to increase wages – and thus consumption and inflation – was finally bearing fruit, albeit small not very sweet fruit.
However, anxiety about the future, coupled with a lack of incentive to spend, meant that most of the increases in wages and bonuses stayed in the bank.
At the same time, while the majority hoarded, brands and retailers at both the luxury and discount ends of the market are reporting a record year, and discount retailers, in particular, are worthy long-term investments.
This demonstrates the further polarisation of the retail market but inventive marketing and solid cost performance will still unlock those wallets in premium mass markets too.

Pan Pacific International Holdings (7532 JP)

Japanese Savings Rates Soar in 2018: A Blow to Abe's Plans but a Boon for Discount Retailing