Japan
Japan retail: unlocking consumer confidence is key for retail
The volume of footwear imports closed 2022 about 10 percentage points below the 2015 baseline, suggesting that the impact of the imported inflation on prices has been clouding the real performance of retail sales in the category. Both the government and some companies have offered inflation allowances or anti-inflation subsidies, but given the saving Japanese mindset, it can be expected that any additional disposable income will not necessarily be used for discretionary shopping, such as clothing and footwear. To boost consumption, it is therefore needed to unlock consumer confidence, which improved only marginally In February, and appears now to be flattening
VF Corp opens design collective and regional office in Tokyo
The owner of brands such as Timberland and Vans, among others, has announced the launch of the Tokyo Design Collective alongside an office in the city's Harajuku district to boost its creative reach
Asics plans to further grow in India
The Japan-based sportswear company has reported that India saw the highest growth globally in 2022 due to the post-pandemic running and fitness boom
Mizuno's Innovation Centre in full swing
After three years since the announcement of the investment, the Osaka-based sportswear company reported that its Innovation Centre, called Mizuno Engine, is now operating
Japan Retail: apparel and footwear retail will hardly remain safe amidst such troubling waters
The further easing of COVID-19 border control measures brought tourists back to the stores, but the anticipated consumption-led recovery is being curbed by the high wholesale inflation, as the weak yen is inflating the costs of imports. On the other end, if the yen depreciation is fostering exports, the fear of a global economic slowdown is a bearer of bad news. Both the Apparel & Accessories Retail and the Consumer Confidence indicator are currently trending down, and not to increase prices is no longer an option. As for online commerce, now that the pandemic boosting effect is over, the competitiveness between this channel and physical retail is at stake, however, it is yet soon to claim a winner
Asics ventures into the Web3 commerce
The physical running shoes in the ASICS x Solana UI Collection can only be purchased with digital currency. The company said to be showing the future of Web3 commerce with this move
Asics creates lowest ever CO2 emissions sneaker
The Japan-based company has reportedly launched the sneaker with the lowest carbon footprint on the market, which represents a "significant leap forward in its commitment" to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050
Asics launches first 3D printed model
The Japan-based sportswear company, which is making its debut within 3D, introduced the Actibreeze 3D sandals to aid recovering athletes in the After Performance phase
Uniqlo owner raises outlook
The Japan-based Fast Retailing posted record profit results in the third quarter of fiscal 2022, with strong performances in every market except for Greater China, raising its outlook in result
Japan Retail: imported inflation troubles retail despite positive signs on consumer mood
Despite positive signs regarding the consumers’ mood, which is leading the BoJ to focus on boosting domestic demand, retailers are facing imported inflation unseen for decades. So, as the yen sinks, it is more accurate to wonder whether Japanese companies’ margins can resist for much longer to fully pass on rising costs to consumers. In addition, the sanctions imposed following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will certainly take a toll on retail, alongside persistent supply chain disruptions caused by the pandemic, even as the country moves away from those times. Since expenses on energy and food cannot be readily cut, the slack demand for footwear already observed is far from being a surprise
Asics and StepN launch co-branded NFT sneakers
The Japan-based company and the move-to-earn running app StepN have joined forces to release the Stepn x Asics NFT Sneaker Mystery Box collection exclusively on Binance NFT Marketplace
Japan Retail: retail prospects are again at stake
Hope for a return to normality in March, following the lift of the quasi-emergency restrictions imposed to control the Omicron-variant outbreak at the end of 2021, appears to be off the picture. The impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on households and companies, which is prompting a hike in commodities and food prices, can no longer be discarded. Most likely, the footwear retail growth momentum of the final months of last year will not be accompanied by an increase in prices to avoid scaring away consumers, whose confidence suffered yet another blow in front of the international conjuncture
Asics quantifies the impact of physical inactivity on mental state
Asics Mind Race experiment revealed that the impact of a week of physical inactivity is similar to a week of broken sleep. But it takes only 15:09 minutes of physical activity to lift the mood
Asics partners up with virtual training platform
As part of the company's digital expansion strategy, Asics is joining forces with the online platform Zwift to create online running experiences that can assist runners achieving their goals
Asics Accelerator Programme open for applications
The Japan-based sportswear giant is inviting potential candidates to submit their proposals until the 14th of February 2022, under the theme ‘sports- 3 years from now’-
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