November 2000

• Daiei: The Last Emperor resigns
  The founder of Japan's largest retailer, and the man who did so much to break the balance of power in Japanese distribution during the 1960s and 1970s, ends his career amid scandal.
• Editorial: Brands! Don't be branded behind the times
• Matsumoto Kiyoshi to aim national
  Worried by the expansion of Jusco's new drugstore chain, Matsukiyo is looking to speed up it's expansion outside Tokyo.
• Outlet Boom continues, Prada, LVMH Group next
  Prada and LVMH make outlet stores a shopping destination for the rich and famous.
• Carrefour: 13 Stores in 3 Years
• Online auctions very popular
  Japanese love online auctions. After a slow start when more traditional experts insisted it would never work in Japan, Internet users have taken to auctioning like merchants to markets.
• Seven-Eleven becomes Largest Retailer
• Avon Japan profits up 55% in first half, opens beauty center
• Arcadia Group plans further expansion in Japan
  Another global retailer puts its toe in the water and looks for a helping hand in Japan. But why is such a powerful retail group not setting up shop on its own?
• Cashmere: Isetan prefers Chinese
  Depressing news for the European cashmere industry. It may be banana wars in the US that could hinder exports there, but in Japan it is market-led and its the cashmere brands who are at fault.
• Brand Licensing fast losing its popularity as a market entry strategy
  Licensing, the main entry route for overseas brands for decades, is dead. Now licenses across the industry are being canceled as brand owners take control--and see sales and profits rise.
• JR plans more large retail developments
  Following on developments with Isetan in Kyoto and Takashimaya in Nagoya, JR is planning to open a store with Tokyo based fashion retailer Marui.
• Chasing Uniqlo
  Uniqlo is now the company to beat, but few other retailers are having much success in competing with Japan's star retailer.
• Takashimaya reaping great rewards at new Nagoya store
  Takashimaya's move into Nagoya with support and considerable investment from JR is proving a tremendous success and posing a greater than expected threat to local, well respected rivals.
• FOCUS: E-commerce: Japanese Style
  Although Japan is famous as a producer of computer chips, diffusion of household personal computers is only just reaching 30%. Companies have only begun to put computers on their employees' desks over the past 18 months. This change is driven by the inescapable advantages of using the Internet Japanese retailers have also seen the light and more and more are setting up full selling solutions online.
• Consumer Survey: Have Money will Spend
• Retail Numbers: The long, hot, very slow summer