Japan

In 2021, RTDs reached its highest volume sales ever. The COVID-19 crisis continued to increase demand for RTDs, which are mainly consumed at home. RTDs helped to limit the decline in overall alcoholic drinks. The number of people drinking at home…

In 2021, cigarettes continued to record a sharp decline in volume sales, following the final stage of tax increases. In December 2017, the government announced a reform of the tobacco tax scheme from 2018 to 2022, to increase the taxes on cigarettes…

Cider/perry witnessed decline in 2021, after seeing dynamic growth in 2020, yet sales remained higher than in 2019 in total volume terms. Although it remains a niche category in Japan, it continues to expand its consumer base, especially amongst…

In 2022, spectacles is set to see continued recovery from the poor performance in 2020 due to COVID-19, with the number of cases decreasing and various restrictions relaxed. This means physical stores are now able to operate fully without having to…

In 2020, the spread of COVID-19 caused a sharp decline in commuting, leisure and travel opportunities, which led to less use of depilatories. Sales returned to growth in 2021, due in part to consumers gradually getting out of their homes as…

Home seclusion was a trend both in 2020 and 2021. In 2020, people were forced to stay home due to COVID-19, especially in April and May, when the state of emergency, a soft lockdown with few legitimate punishments, was declared by the Japanese…

Home insecticides in Japan saw double-digit growth in 2020 in both volume and current value terms. In 2021, there was a small reverse movement, with sales turning to decline. Although the performance was negative in 2021, sales did not go back to…

Consumer foodservice in Japan showed mixed results in 2021, as formats such as bars/pubs struggled due to the continuing impact of COVID-19, whereas limited-service restaurants, and especially burger and chicken limited-service restaurants, thrived…

In 2020, luxury jewellery suffered a steep contraction in retail value sales due to the significant impact of store closures during the state of emergency in April and May. Long-term border closures also led to plummeting sales as the performance of…

Fresh food rebounded to growth in Japan in total volume terms in 2021, after seeing a significant decline in 2020. In 2020, fresh food experienced a strong decline amidst COVID-19, as foodservice and institutional sales largely collapsed at the…

After seeing a notable decline in 2020, total volume sales of eggs in Japan saw a continued fall in 2021, although at a much slower rate. In 2020, COVID-19 led to a significant decline as foodservice and institutional sales largely came to a halt at…

Poor fiscal health is negatively affecting Japan’s ranking for economic freedom. Nevertheless, the country enjoys robust rule of law and corruption is not a problem. The economy is expected to continue to recover in the short term, but foreign…

In 2022, following a decrease in the number of COVID-19 cases, as well as the relaxation of various restrictions, eyewear is set to continue to show recovery from its pandemic-related decline in 2020. For spectacles and contact lenses, most physical…

Facial tissues, comprising boxed facial tissues and pocket handkerchiefs, witnessed a significant drop in demand in 2020, due to home seclusion as a result of the pandemic. Usage of facial tissues was therefore limited, as the population was less…

Gel air fresheners saw significant double-digit current value growth in 2020. The spike was caused by COVID-19, and mainly by a single product, Cleverin. Cleverin is a brand from Taiko Pharmaceutical. It has several types of product, but the main one…

In 2021, the impacts of COVID-19 continued, with many consumers continuing to avoid unnecessary outings and remaining secluded at home for much of the time. Mainstream consumer foodservice foodservice players showed dynamic growth in the review…

There was a time when functions meant value in appliances. Microwaves were first released around 1960 in Japan, beginning with business use and expanding to consumer use. At the time these were considered super premium products and were not…

While vending retail value sales declined in 2021, vending machines gained attention in Japan in the review period, especially during COVID-19. Vending machines were considered a type of unmanned store, where consumers were able to purchase products…

With the continued impact of COVID-19, social contact remained suppressed in 2021, with consumers continuing to work and study from home and limit socialising. This continued to limit sales of womenswear in 2021, as opportunities to wear new clothes…

In 2021, alcoholic drinks saw another year affected by the prolonged impact of COVID-19. Following a sharp increase in the number of cases of the virus from the end of 2020, the government declared a state of emergency in January 2021. To prevent the…