Search - consumer-behavior

 
 
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Sep 19, 2022

Frugal is the new cool for young Chinese as economy falters

Penny pinching by China's youth is a problem for China's economic policymakers, who have long relied on increased consumption to bolster growth.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Mar 17, 2022

As costs rise in Japan, even businesses accustomed to deflation are raising prices

On top of changing ingredients or reducing portion sizes, firms have implemented unusual price hikes to goods such as cooking oil, snacks and popular instant noodle brands.
Japan Times
WORLD / ANALYSIS
Dec 22, 2021

Weak winds worsened Europe's power crunch as utilities eye better storage

The situation illustrated a challenge facing the European Union as it tries to boost renewable power and meet its climate targets
Japan Times
CULTURE
Jan 10, 2021

How COVID-19 has changed live events in Japan

While some live events have resumed, the arrival of artists and participants from overseas still may be a ways off.
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 20, 2020

COVID-19's economic hit is all in your mind

Psychology can be more powerful than facts when it comes to an epidemic's impact
Japan Times
JAPAN / Media / BIG IN JAPAN
Oct 12, 2019

Consumers look for ways to blunt impact of consumption tax hike

Japan's consumption tax on goods and services has arguably been unpopular from the get-go. Introduced at 3 percent in 1989 as a means of improving public finances, the rate was raised to 5 percent in 1997, 8 percent in 2014 and, from Oct. 1 of this year, to 10 percent.
BUSINESS / Economy / ANALYSIS
Jul 1, 2019

Abe sticks with plan to raise Japan's consumption tax despite weak tankan results

Analysts say all signs point to the October increase going ahead as planned.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies
Feb 18, 2019

In era of AI and apps that track, could Recruit be Japan's top contender for global internet domination?

It was one of the most infamous companies in Japan, rocking the nation with a corporate scandal that ousted a prime minister and then nearly collapsing under a mountain of debt.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jul 24, 2018

Flea market apps transforming Japan's thrift culture

When strapped for cash before his next paycheck, Ryo Takezawa would trudge over to the nearest Bookoff, the nation's largest chain of secondhand bookstores, to sell his novels and CDs.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / JAPAN WEB WATCH
Jan 10, 2015

Point systems stir privacy fears among Net users

The battle for point card supremacy in loyalty programs is hotting up across the country, causing consumers to express concern over privacy issues as a growing number of companies get in on the act.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Companies / ANALYSIS
Aug 6, 2013

Purchase harks back to age of newspaper titans

The Graham family's decision to sell The Washington Post to Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos underscores the re-emergence of wealthy individuals at the helm of major metro dailies as newspapers seek a refuge from the battering they have experienced on Wall Street.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / ASIAN ECONOMY SYMPOSIUM
Apr 4, 2008

Consumer mind-set key to success of China's green policies

China has set ambitious goals to deal with its energy and environmental problems, but the challenge lies in their implementation, and that will require not just government policy decisions but changes in consumer awareness and behavior, said Zha Daojiong, a professor at Peking University's School of...
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Aug 16, 2007

Frozen food makers seek ways to stay cool with consumers

Meatballs, hamburger steaks, Chinese-style meat dumplings, fried rice, gratin, tempura and fish boiled with soy sauce — these are just some of the hundreds of frozen food items stocked by the nation's supermarkets.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / INDUSTRY TRENDS
May 2, 2003

Firms itching to cash in on athlete's foot sufferers

The phrase "I wouldn't want to be in your shoes" threatens to take on a whole new meaning as summer kicks in, with an estimated one in five Japanese suffering from athlete's foot.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jan 18, 2023

How eco-friendly is that product? Here are four ways to spot greenwashing

Research in the EU found that more than half of the 'green' claims it studied were vague, misleading or unfounded — and that consumers don't trust businesses to tell the truth.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Tech
Dec 23, 2022

‘There’s less noise’: How investors are dealing with the fintech slowdown

Funding globally for financial technology firms smashed several records last year, but that boom didn't last into 2022.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Jun 19, 2022

Will Japan’s nonvegans bite on plant-based yogurt?

After perfecting a homemade recipe, this coconut yogurt devotee is trying to convert the rest of Japan.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jun 6, 2022

Banking could go the way of news publishing

Tech giants pose a far bigger challenge to brick-and-mortar lenders than fintech startups that don't have the scale of platform businesses.
Pedestrians outside a Seibu department store in Tokyo's Ikebukuro district in April
BUSINESS / Companies
Jul 31, 2023

Seven & I struggles to sell slumping Sogo & Seibu department stores

The holdup is centered around the flagship Seibu department store in Tokyo's Ikebukuro district, with the local government expressing rare opposition.
Turkey and other meat at a grocery store in Chicago
ENVIRONMENT / Sustainability
Nov 26, 2023

Eat less meat is message for rich world in food’s net-zero plan

The global food systems’ road map to 1.5 Celsius is expected to be published by the United Nations’ Food & Agriculture Organization next month.
Cute characters like Pikachu are deeply ingrained in Japanese culture. The global reach of kawaii has contributed to Japan's soft power and international appeal.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Mar 26, 2024

What does the global power of kawaii say about us?

Kawaii is one of Japan's greatest cultural exports. But cuteness is more than just a fad or a commercial success story: It's part of our evolution.
Lawson and FamilyMart enjoyed net profit increases in the March-November 2024 period, while Seven & I Holdings suffered a sharp deterioration in its bottom line, according to their latest earnings reports.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jan 16, 2025

Lawson and FamilyMart enjoy net profit growth in March-November

FamilyMart's net profit went up 62.4% to ¥80 billion because of special profit from a realignment of Chinese operations.
Firefighters spray the rubble of homes that were demolished by the Eaton Fire on Wednesday.AFP-JIJI
OLYMPICS
Jan 17, 2025

Critics question Los Angeles' ability to host Olympics after wildfires

Governor Gavin Newsom has already moved to assure that Los Angeles will be ready to host the Games.
Stephen Dacus, incoming chief executive officer of Seven & I Holdings, speaks during an interview at the company's headquarters in Tokyo on Friday. Dacus plans to boost investments in its U.S. stores using cash from a planned listing of its American retail operations.
BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 25, 2025

Seven & I’s new CEO plans aggressive investments in U.S. stores

In addition to investing in its North America operations, Stephen Dacus is also looking to review the company’s supply chain globally.
A Shein pop-up store in New York. Many goods imported from China now face a 145% tariff.
BUSINESS
May 3, 2025

Young Americans sour on Trump’s China tariffs despite election-year bump

For Republicans, the trade war is poised to reverse gains with a demographic that could be key to maintaining control of Congress.
While for Aston Martin, it’s all about delivering luxury, their regional president for Asia Gregory Adams' start in the auto industry in Japan was far more humble.
BUSINESS / Companies
May 6, 2025

The drive for luxury: Aston Martin Asia's president explains the desire for more

“No one needs an Aston Martin,” said the company's regional president for Asia — it is more about emotion and less about practicality.

Longform

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