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

Japan Retail Highlights 2018-19: Sector by Sector and Winners in Each Sector

Familymart Installs First Amazon Delivery Lockers

Japan Wholesaling: Higher Sales but Digital Shift Will Decimate Smaller Firms

Winners and Losers in Japanese Retailing in the Next 5-10 Years

Seiyu IPO Preview: Relisting Is Just One Option Walmart May Still Sell to a Retailer or a PE Firm

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. 

Equity Capital Markets

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/wal-mart-stores-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11134:1" rel="noopener">Wal Mart Stores (WMT US)</a> says it will relist its Japanese business soon, putting to rest – at least for now – widespread speculation that it was about to sell off its 330-store Japanese operation after 17 years of trying to turn the business around.Walmart may have tried to sell the business but with no one willing to pay the right price, Walmart has instead announced a new mid-term plan based on refreshed stores, expanded private brand lines and, much more intriguingly, further investment in its new joint business with Rakuten online – its first real chance to expand nationally.The Japanese online food market is about to boom and many of the key players are jockeying for position but if Rakuten and Walmart can gain real traction, the joint venture could be one of the leaders in this fast-expanding market. If the venture proves of less benefit to Walmart than hoped, Walmart will want to sell and it may be Rakuten that wants to buy.

Wal Mart Stores (WMT US) says it will relist its Japanese business soon, putting to rest – at least for now – widespread speculation that it was about to sell off its 330-store Japanese operation after 17 years of trying to turn the business around.Walmart may have tried to sell the business but with no one willing to pay the right price, Walmart has instead announced a new mid-term plan based on refreshed stores, expanded private brand lines and, much more intriguingly, further investment in its new joint business with Rakuten online – its first real chance to expand nationally.The Japanese online food market is about to boom and many of the key players are jockeying for position but if Rakuten and Walmart can gain real traction, the joint venture could be one of the leaders in this fast-expanding market. If the venture proves of less benefit to Walmart than hoped, Walmart will want to sell and it may be Rakuten that wants to buy.

Pan Pacific International Holdings (7532 JP)

Walmart Will Relist Japan Unit Soon and at Last Has Potential to Grow – but Only Online