Focus: Mail order belongs to Nissen

While Cecile shrinks into oblivion and Senshukai stagnates, Nissen is proving that being a maverick is good business. The Kyoto company now leads the mail order sector, despite being written off as a no hoper in the mid 1990s.

Carrefour: another lost cause

With Carrefour gone, Japanese retailing has become that bit more boring. Japanese journalists are all crowing, “We told you so!” But while Carrefour was perhaps misguided, uninformed and, in places, downright misled, in five short years the French firm’s contribution to Japanese retail development was truly revolutionary.

Banana Republic: 20 stores in 3 years

Almost everyone in the apparel industry in Japan is excited about the prospect of the arrival of Banana Republic in Japan this Fall. Gap has prepared well and Banana Republic could become even more successful here than Gap itself.

Beams smartens up

United Arrows may have overtaken Beams, its progenitor, in both sales and operational efficiency, but the founder of the select shop sector in Japan is on the expansion path again.

Isetan bails out Meitetsu

Although Takashimaya and Mitsukoshi lead by sales, Isetan is now Japan’s most progressive department store. With Millennium coming out of rehabilitation early, Isetan is now looking to build a larger chain of stores across the country. Its latest move brings Meitetsu department store more squarely into the group.

Seven-Eleven buys a bakery

Seven-Eleven has long maintained a policy of separating retailing and production with the latter being outsourced to third parties. Now, in a defensive move against the acquisition of Familymart by Itochu, it has decided to take on some bakery products itself.

And the winner is: Marubeni

In early March, the IRCJ announced that Marubeni and Advantage Partners had won rehabilitation rights to Daiei. In some ways the decision was not unexpected, but it still leaves more questions than it answers. Aeon and Wal-Mart will hope to see someone else make an even greater mess of things and be waiting in the wings to pick up the pieces. They may not have to wait very long at all.

Wholesale change: Lawson switches candy supplier

As JC has been covering in depth over recent months, food wholesaling is rapidly consolidating and splitting between the main trading house groups. Now, Mitsubishi has chosen its own confectionary wholesale arm to supply Lawson, pushing out Marubeni’s Sanseiya operation.

Agnes B to add 30 stores

As reported in JC November 2004, March saw the cessation of the 20 year joint venture between Agnes B and Starbuck’s partner, Sazaby. The French company has plans for a major investment in stores and marketing in order to revitalize the brand in its key market.

Shimamura sales and profits soar

Shimamura has increased turnover by more than ¥100 billion in four years. After maintaining a pace of 100 new stores a year since 2000, it now has more than 1,100 stores and could well overtake Fast Retailing as the largest casualwear retailer in FY2006.

Retail succession: a chip off the block

Japan maintains the Confucian tradition of promoting eldest sons to company president even when the company is publicly owned. Such traditions are unlikely to change in the near future, but things do not always go smoothly.

Get a ‘Thanks Tail’

A new accessory for polite driving, coupled with all kinds of opportunities for on road danger and road rage; Kazuhiro Hachiya has come up with a new hit product.

Jewelry sales make a come back

Between the late 1980s and 2000, the retail jewelry market collapsed by 30% according to analysis in Retail Japan 2003. Since then things have picked up, and retailers and wholesalers alike have a marathon runner to thank.

News in Brief

Beer shipments down
February department store sales down again
Zara plans 8 stores
Uniqlo’s new t-shirts from around the world
Max Mara anchors new Ginza development
Uniqlo launches Fashion Denim collection
Roger Vivier to expand distribution to Japan
Zegna Japan up 14%
Wacoal’s first directly operated Wing shop
Ships aims for sales of ¥20 billion
Coach complains about LVMH
Mulberry expansion
Familymart signs new area franchise
Sazaby does furniture
Chelsea opens outlets in Gifu
Itochu Shokuhin acquires Kanetomi
Fast Retailing aims for ¥1 trillion
Mujirushi announces supply chain rationalization
Top apparel chains caught selling counterfeit
Japan teaches Asia how to compete fairly
Aeon to add 3,300 recruits in 2006
Toys for the gray market
Hugo Boss climbs 23%
Smart phones buy train tickets