Reasonably priced fukubukuro, or "lucky bags", have gained popularity at Japanese department stores as consumers have looked for ways to tighten their belts amid the recession.
Lucky bags ar…
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Japan retailers welcome Year of the Tiger
Toyota union to drop wage-scale hike demand
The Toyota Motor Workers’ Union has decided not to demand a pay-scale hike during this spring’s labour-management wage talks, union sources have said.
The union, which comprises 63,000 wor…
Bluefin ban could put Japan in bind
Seafood-loving Japan — having faced years of international pressure to stop whaling — finds itself with a potentially bigger fight over a highly prized type of tuna that conservation group…
Tokyo outlet mall targets rich Chinese tourists
A new outlet mall has opened in the Odaiba area of Tokyo. In a surprising, yet ingenious move, the shopping mall Venus Fort in Odaiba has turned its entire third floor into an outlet for 49 shops.
The…
Why outsourcing may be better for your business in the long run
Expanding store and franchise operations into new markets, or even expanding into known markets, can present a number of challenges for the Brand Owner.
Almost without exception, these challenges and…
Japan Airlines shares plunge 45 percent
Japan Airlines shares drop to a new low amid bankruptcy fears – despite an improved offer from American Airlines.…
Japan: Deflation dents consumer prices by 1.7 percent
Consumer prices fell for a ninth month in November, adding to signs that deflation will undermine growth in the world’s second largest economy.
Seiyu, a supermarket chain owned by US-based …
Japan’s best products of 2009
Nikkei Trendy, one of the most popular monthly business magazines in Japan, has released its top 30 products of 2009. The selection provides a barometer for some of the major trends seen in Japan over…
Japanese automakers hydrogen car drive
Imagine a car that can be refuelled in minutes but emits only water. Sounds like science fiction? In fact it already exists — Hollywood star Jamie Lee Curtis has one. So does Honda president Tak…
Japan spending weak, prices fall
Japanese consumer spending sputtered and deflation remained entrenched in Japan last month, underscoring weakness in the economy as Tokyo grapples with a surge in the yen.
To read the full story (note…