December 31, 2010

Japanese customers take a shine to Harley Davidsons as they motorcycle Japan in greater numbers


"In 2008, we sold 15,698 
(Harley Davidson) bikes in Japan,
which was an increase over the previous year"


By Chris Betros

http://www.japantoday.com/category/executive-impact/view/harley-davidson-gains-popularity-in-japan




Further reading:



See Japan by motorcycle in 2011



December 30, 2010

Japanese scientists develop way to generate ethanol from seaweed

"(Japanese) Scientists from Tohoku University and Tohoku Electric Power Co. have developed a technology to efficiently generate ethanol from seaweed such as sea tangle and sea grape"




Source:Ethanol generated from seaweed
Sunday, Aug. 15, 2010
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20100815a6.html


December 29, 2010

Japanese household spending decreased six straight quarters

"Japanese households spent an average of 247,309 yen a month in the April-June quarter, down 0.5% on the year in real terms, according to data released Friday by the Ministry of Internal Affairs...The 1.7% decline in food spending had the biggest impact...The unseasonable weather also took a toll on apparel, with spending on clothing and shoes sliding 5.7%. And amid lackluster buying of automobiles in single-person households, transportation and telecommunications spending sank 2.4%.. Total household expenditures dipped six straight quarters through the July-September term of 2009 because of the financial turmoil and other factors."



Source:Household Spending Takes 1st Dip In 3 Quarters
Saturday, August 14, 2010
http://e.nikkei.com/e/fr/tnks/Nni20100813D13JFN03.htm

December 28, 2010

Japanese customers cite high costs of funeral according to new survey

"High cost" was the most commonly cited complaint about funerals and related matters, named by 61 percent of respondents.




Source:70% want to be interred with spouse, poll finds
The Yomiuri Shimbun
Aug. 8, 2010
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T100807001698.htm

December 27, 2010

Japanese customers worry about who will take care of their graves according to recent survey

"Sixty-one percent said they worried no one would take care of their graves in the future, but 37 percent said they were not concerned about that."



Source: 70% want to be interred with spouse, poll finds
The Yomiuri Shimbun
Aug. 8, 2010
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T100807001698.htm

December 26, 2010

Japanese customers have few places to enjoy smoke free dining


"Starbucks Coffee Japan Ltd. is among a few operators that ban smoking altogether.
In February, the health ministry called for a smoking ban at facilities where people congregate, such as restaurants, hotels, hospitals and government buildings. There are no provisions to penalize failure to implement a ban, however."



Source: Most new McDonalds' outlets to ban smoking
THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
2010/08/09
http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201008080153.html

December 25, 2010

Family businesses thrive in Japan, over 20,000 companies over 100 years old according to study

"Japan has 21,066 companies that have been in business for at least 100 years"



Source: Over 20,000 Japan Firms Older Than 100
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Nikkei
http://www.nni.nikkei.co.jp/e/fr/tnks/Nni20090818D17HH197.htm



Further reading:











Get up to speed with Asia fast

December 24, 2010

Net savvy Japanese consumers stay at home and shop at home as the convenience cant be beaten

"The Internet gives consumers a tool to make purchases
while staying at home, with the number of Net-savvy seniors rising steadily."



Source: Heat Wave Turning More People Into Stay-At-Home Online Shoppers
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Nikkei
http://e.nikkei.com/e/fr/tnks/Nni20100803D03HH609.htm

December 23, 2010

Japanese mothers prefer safer three seater bicycles for their children according to mother

"The bike is necessary for taking my children to pre-school," says one 26-year-old mother in Bunkyo Ward who purchased a 3-seat bicycle. "This is just the kind of bike I imagined I would want if I were going to carry my children on it," she said.


Source:Sales of 3-seat bicycles soaring in Japan
Mainichi Japan
August 8, 2010
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20100807p2a00m0na017000c.html

December 22, 2010

Japanese customers are very good savers according to the Bank of Japan

"According to the Bank of Japan, Japanese households have as much as Y30,000 billion in cash stashed “under their mattresses” "



Source: AUSTRALIA AND JAPAN, BEYOND THE MAINSTREAM
Manuel Panagiotopoulos and Andrew Cornell
Page 20
http://ajf.australia.or.jp/docs/20090625_AJF_Manuel_Panagiotopoulos_Business.pdf

December 21, 2010

70 % of elderly Japanese customers would prefer home care & don't mind to pay for it according to survey

"A survey by the welfare ministry shows that 70 percent of Japanese want to stay at home to receive care services when they begin to require assistance...Asked about premiums, 50 percent said they would accept higher premiums than now if that is what's required to maintain or improve services."




Source:70 percent prefer home care for the elderly
NHK WORLD
2010/08/14
http://www.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/society.html

December 20, 2010

Japanese customers travelling to India to learn english so as to become better managers with a strong global outlook


"IHI Corp will send candidates for management positions to study English at a university in India for two months from October as part of efforts to develop managers with strong global outlooks... sees little point to sending candidates to study in the U.S. and Britain due to the large populations of Japanese in those countries... In India,..Japanese are scarce.... there is a greater likelihood of mixing with people of different nationalities."



Source:Saturday, August 14, 2010
IHI Management Hopefuls To Study English In India
The Nikkei
http://e.nikkei.com/e/fr/tnks/Nni20100813D13JFA05.htm

December 19, 2010

Japanese customers still believe that Japanese made products are more superior than those made abroad



“most Japanese still believe their
country's products are superior to any made abroad”.





Source:AUSTRALIA AND JAPAN, BEYOND THE MAINSTREAM
quotes from editor-in-chief Atsushi Matsubara told
BusinessWeek magazine in February 2009.
Manuel Panagiotopoulos and Andrew Cornell
Page 40
http://ajf.australia.or.jp/docs/20090625_AJF_Manuel_Panagiotopoulos_Business.pdf

December 18, 2010

Japanese housewives perform an average of four hours housework per day, worlds highest according to study

"Japanese housewives toil for an average of four hours and 24 minutes a day,
far more than those in the U.S., the U.K., Sweden and China."





Source:Japan Housewives Saddled With Most Chores In World
Friday, August 21, 2009
Nikkei
http://www.nni.nikkei.co.jp/e/fr/tnks/Nni20090821D19HH406.htm



Further reading:







Be a part of the Asian Century

December 17, 2010

Japanese customers key target for international marketers - "Japan is a sophisticated and competive market"

"78 per cent believed Japan offers great potential for Australia. Most respondents believed Japan is a sophisticated and competitive market"


Source:Doing Business with Japan: The Perspective of Australian Companies
Australia Japan Foundation - Melbourne Institute Survey
Page 18
Doing Business with Japan:The Perspective of Australian Companies
Findings from the Australia–Japan Business Survey 2008–09
Anne Leahy, Elizabeth Webster and Jongsay Yong
Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research
The University of Melbourne

December 16, 2010

Autopsies in which the body is dissected are rare in Japan

"Autopsies in which the body is dissected are rare in Japan,
with the cause of death mostly determined by a noninvasive examination."



Source:Medical examiners set up center for high-tech autopsies
Kyodo News
The Japan Times: Thursday, Dec. 10, 2009
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/print/nn20091210a6.html



Further reading:








Eat Japanese food everyday when you motorcycle Japan in 2010

December 15, 2010

Japanese customers cant get enough of "All free" beer by Suntory, no alcohol, and no calorie beer the hit of summer in 2010

"The.. popularity of Suntory..beer-flavored All-Free beverage has forced the firm to temporarily suspend sales of the alcohol-free drink, as production cannot keep up with demand...Sales are expected to resume in early September..Alcohol-free, beer-flavored beverages have proved highly popular among drivers and other consumers, and the extreme heat of this summer apparently further boosted All-Free's sales...(the only zero alcohol, zero calorie beer on the market in Japan)"

See more here Japanese site


Source:Suntory's All-Free, all gone
The Yomiuri Shimbun
Aug. 12, 2010
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/business/T100811004262.htm?from=rss&ref=dyolwsj

December 14, 2010

Japanese customers show changing preferences toward funeral practices according to survey

"Regarding such new funeral practices as the scattering of ashes, 63 percent thought it was all right to have such options, while 14 percent opposed nontraditional practices. Twenty-one percent said it "depends on the style [of the practice] and the situation."



Source: 70% want to be interred with spouse, poll finds
The Yomiuri Shimbun
Aug. 8, 2010
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T100807001698.htm

December 13, 2010

Japanese international study abroad research documentary






Gaman - A Japanese Students Four Year Journey in Australia

A holistic international education documentary

By JapaneseCustomer.com





“Amazing insights into a Japanese students
“total” study experience”




Editorial Reviews



"International study is an enormous undertaking for an individual in terms of resources, language, culture & risk. This documentary reveals the four year journey of a Japanese student studying in Australia. “Gaman” is a Japanese word that means endure. JapaneseCustomer.com reveals the students journey from beginning to end. He begins with the student’s life in Japan before study, then follows the student to Australia & the students return to Japan. A fascinating cultural documentary


Book Description:

A holistic international education profile of a Japanese students four year journey in Australia.


Readership:

● Government ● Education institutions ● Third party suppliers ● Employers


Special Features:

● Holistic profile of a Japanese student’s journey – before, during & after study
● 26 page cultural marketing guide
● Unique perspectives of culture, language & experiences.


Product Details:

Title: Gaman – A Japanese Student’s Four Year Journey in Australia
E-Book: Video & 26 page booklet
Publisher: JapaneseCustomer.com
Language: English
ISBN -13: 978-0-9580582-5-4


Payment: PayPal
Only available online at www.japanesecustomer.com



Key words:

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December 12, 2010

Japanese employees possess an array of important skills according to recruiter

“You say one thing and Japanese employees will understand three things,” he said. “In Western cultures, you might be straightforward with what you want your staff to know, but a Japanese manager would want you to understand it without having to say it.”



Source: Many in Japan Are Outsourcing Themselves
By MIKI TANIKAWA
July 21, 2010
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/22/business/global/22outsource.html?ref=global-home&pagewanted=all



Further reading:






Be part of the Asian Century?

Visit Teach English In Japan

December 11, 2010

Japanese supermarket sales totalled 1 trillion yen at 8150 outlets according to research

"Sales totaled ¥1.09 trillion at 8,150 outlets operated by 70 companies, the Japan Chain Stores Association"




Source:Supermarket sales fell 4.8% in July
Kyodo News, 25th August 2009
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nb20090825a6.html



Further reading:





Be one of the first to explore Japan by motorcycle

December 10, 2010

Online orders at Tokyu jumped 15% on a daily basis in July as heatwave impacted Japanese consumer travel

"Tokyu Store Corp. saw the number of online orders received
daily jump 15-20% on the month in July."





Source: Heat Wave Turning More People Into Stay-At-Home Online Shoppers
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Nikkei
http://e.nikkei.com/e/fr/tnks/Nni20100803D03HH609.htm

December 09, 2010

Japanese mobile phone companies see revenue per customer decline in April - June period

"As more and more people use mobile phones and fees fall lower and lower, the companies' revenue per customer declined to between 5,000 yen and 6,000 yen in the April-June period, down 200-400 yen from a year earlier. "


Source: DoCoMo, KDDI Battle For Mobile TV License
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
The Nikkei
http://e.nikkei.com/e/fr/tnks/Nni20100803D03HH566.htm

December 08, 2010

Japanese customers receive rebates up to 30,000 yen to buy 3 seater bicycles

"In Bunkyo Ward in Tokyo, in order to "reduce burdens on parents and guardians," the government instituted a subsidy system to give 100 buyers of 3-seat bicycles rebates of 30,000 yen each. Applications for the subsidy began being accepted in April, and within about two months over 230 had been received."


Source:Sales of 3-seat bicycles soaring in Japan
Mainichi Japan
August 8, 2010
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20100807p2a00m0na017000c.html

December 07, 2010

Record number of Japanese households on welfare benefits April 2010, 1.35 million households up 9300 on previous month

"A record number of Japanese households were living on welfare benefits in April, reflecting the severe employment situation...more than 1.35 million households were receiving benefits in April, up nearly 9,300 from the previous month...4,749 households, the largest percentage of the 9,300, fell into the category of "others", which includes the unemployed. The elderly made up about 3,730 households, while single mother households were 295, and households with handicapped people numbered 477."



Source: Record 1.35 mil families live on welfare in Japan
2010/08/12
NHK World
http://www.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/12_23.html

December 06, 2010

Restaurant chains in Japan who are scared to lose customers tend to retain smoking sections

"Most restaurant chains, afraid of losing customers, retain smoking sections."



Source: Most new McDonalds' outlets to ban smoking
THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
2010/08/09
http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201008080153.html

December 05, 2010

Japanese customer sets a fast pace when it comes to stamping, worlds fastest stamper? - Video

Good at your job. Fast, accurate and focused?. Think again as this Japanese women shows her skill at stamping invoices. Watch the video below to see her amazing speed and skill.
Note: Video in Japanese







Video Source:aLLeygeaR's



Further reading:






See the best of Japan by motorcycle

Visit Motorcycle Japan

December 04, 2010

Japanese universities dominate new Asian university rankings with nine in the top twenty

"Japan dominates in numbers and quality with nine universities in the first 20 and 33 in the top 100"


Karen MacGregor
07 June 2009
Issue: 0079
http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=2009060419325354



Further Reading:







Be part of the Asian Century in 2010

December 03, 2010

Number of Japanese low income workers rose between 1997 and 2007 according to report

"comparing employee annual incomes in 1997 with those in 2007,...the country saw a rise in low-income workers with annual pay of between ¥1 million and the mid-¥2 million level during the 10-year period."



Source: Eased labor rules, cost-cutting widened income gap, report says
Kyodo News
Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2010
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nb20100804a1.html


December 02, 2010

Six reasons why Japanese Customers are important to your business in 2010



Photo:  A Japanese Customer




 Six reasons why Japanese customers are important to your business in 2010



1. Japan -  the largest economy in Asia

"Asia has accounted for 50 percent of world GDP for most of human history".

Source: The Mad Hedge Fund Trader
November 24, 2009
http://www.japaninc.com/Taking_the_Long_View_on_Asia




2. Japan's GDP per person the highest in Asia

"the average Japanese generates more than ten times the GDP as the average Chinese, and the average Taiwanese, more than six times."

Source: Resistance Is Futile, You Will Be Bought
December 12, 2009:
http://www.strategypage.com/qnd/china/articles/20091212.aspx





3. Japanese customers are still the world's best savers


"Households have saved up about ¥1.41 quadrillion in financial assets"

Source: Less work, more play to lift economy: DPJ
By AKIKO IKEDA and SATOSHI KAWANO
Bloomberg
The Japan Times: Saturday,
Sept. 12, 2009
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/print/nn20090912n2.html






4. Japanese customers world's best hotel guests

1."The Japanese retained the top prize, with hoteliers worldwide naming them the world’s best tourists, ahead of the British and Canadians. Japanese tourists were ranked the quietest and most polite, as well as the cleanest and least likely to complain."

Conducted by online travel company Expedia


Source: World’s worst and best tourists revealed in new survey
July 9th, 2009
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/world-news/worlds-worst-and-best-tourists-revealed-in-new-survey_100215649.html




5. Japanese Customer Service - The world's best

1. "Perhaps it is easiest and most logical to conclude that Japan simply provides the best customer service training in the world and that it is derived from a culture of principles"

Source: Best customer service in the world
By ISAAC UCHIYAMA
Sunday, Dec. 20, 2009
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/rc20091220a6.html







6. Japanese customers are online

"Japan is one of the world’s most wired countries, with more than 90 million regular Internet users — of which three-quarters use fast broadband connections and two-thirds also log in from cellphones".

Source: In Japan, an Odd Perch for Google: Looking Up at the Leader
By HIROKO TABUCHI
November 30, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/30/technology/internet/30google.html





Learn more about   Japanese Customers    at   JapaneseCustomer.com



* Market research reports
* Book reviews
* Statistics
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 Be part of the Asian Century in 2010 !

December 01, 2010

How to attract Japanese customers to your school?




Japanese Student - Buyer Behaviour - Australia

Learn how Japanese students purchase international education



By JapaneseCustomer.com


Qualitative research on the buyer behaviour of the Japanese student market
Behaviour insights across eleven critical decision areas
Ten point customer profiles developed for each visa class
Includes findings, interpretation & recommendations


" how do Japanese students evaluate & buy education? "


Editorial Reviews

" International education is a billion dollar industry, cultural understanding backed with market research is the key to success"


Book Description:

Qualitative market research detailing the buyer behaviour characteristics of Japanese international students in Australian education.

Readership:

Government 
Education institutions
Third party suppliers
Employers

Special Features:

In depth interviews with 101 Japanese students results in English

Findings broken down by visa type.
37 charts & 35 references to current articles.



Product Details:

Format: E-Book
Publisher: JapaneseCustomer.com
Language: English
ISBN -13: 978-0-9580582-6-1
Payment: PayPal
Order: Only available online at www.japanesecustomer.com

Key words:

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