Japanese glass eels can fetch up to US$30,000 a kilo

Picture: A fisherman's morning catch

"rare Japanese glass eels 

can fetch up to US$30,000 a kilo" 

Source: 

Article: The known unknowns,

 The Economist, 

December 21st, 2019, 

Page 35

Statistics: Part timers and contractors make up about 40 percent of Japan's workforce

Picture: Japanese enjoying summer fireworks



" In Japan, the focus of equal pay for equal work is on narrowing the gap between permanent employees and low-paid part-timers and contractors, who make up about 40 per cent of the workforce. Japanese firms tend to resist equal pay for equal work because it will mean raising the pay of lower-paid workers, analysts say"



Source: Corporate Japan wary of wage hikes as Abenomics splutters by Tetsushi Kajimoto, Australian Financial Review, 
Wednesday 19th February, 2020, page 14.

The number of working age Japanese hits an all time low according to the Nikkei

Picture: Japanese workers commuting in Tokyo

"The number of working-age Japanese stands at 74.23 million, a mere 59.5% of the total population -- an all-time low that reflects the aging of the country."



Source: Nikkei Asian Review, July 11, 2019
https://asia.nikkei.com/Economy/Foreigners-ease-labor-crunch-as-Japan-s-workforce-shrinks


#japan #demographics #workingage #trends #news #quote #statistics #japanesecustomers
www.japanesecustomer.com

Tokyo worlds largest city by GDP

" Tokyo, Japan (has) the largest GDP of any city in the world at US$1.48 trillion"

Source: "Asia's super power in 2010 wont be China by George Friedman

Feb 7th, 2017, www.businessinder.com

 

japan, japanese customer, www.japanesecustomer.com, #japan #statistics #gdp #trends

Japanese consumers like low calorie chocolate

Japanese consumers like low calorie chocolate

Video: Japanese Milk Chocolate Brand

According to research by Kadence Japanese consumers rate taste in chocolate the number one factor at 54%, followed by health 13% an convenience 13%. Calorie content was of importance to Japanese consumers who are worried about the impact of food on their bodies so lower calories the better.


Source: APAC not a ‘universal market’: Asia’s multifaceted taste and texture preferences for chocolate
By Oliver Nieburg & Patrick Young, insight director at Kadence International, 19-Sep-2016
Market research firm Kadence explores the varying chocolate likability factors in nations across Asia.http://www.confectionerynews.com/Markets/What-are-Asian-consumers-looking-for-in-chocolate-Kadence-research

japan, japanese, customer, consumer, chocolate, market research, kadence international, statistics, food, www.japanesecustomer.com, @jcustomers, #japan, #chocolate, #research

Four Japanese brands make Australian corporate reputation index in 2016

"Corporate Reputation Index Australia 2016

Japanese brands

2. Toyota
5. Mazda
26. Lion
56. 7-Eleven"



Source:AMR REsearch


Source: Woolies reputation takes a beating, 
By James Thomson, Australian Financial Review, Monday 9th May 2016, page 18.



japan, japanese, consumer, customer, statistics, reputation, indes, australia, corporate, 2016 www.japanesecustomer.com, @jcustomers, #japan, #japanese, #consumer, #customer

Many Chinese consumers seeking to buy Japanese heat induction rice cookers

Many Chinese consumers seeking to buy Japanese heat induction rice cookers

"(Chinese Consumers) many are seeking out Japanese made (rice cooking) machines that use heat-induction technology. While sold in China, the models are expensive due to high import tariffs"


Source: Rice Cooker 'litmus test' for China economy by Te-Ping Chen, The Wall STreet Journal, The Australian, Friday August 5th, 2016, page 25.


japan. japanese, consumer, customer, technology, demand, rice cookers, trends, Chinese, news, quote, www.japanesecustomer.com, @jcustomers

Japanese Goverment Pension Fund loses $68 billion

Japanese Goverment Pension Fund loses $68 billion


"Japan's $US1.3 trillion Government Pension Investment Fund lost 3.8 per cent in the year ended March 31, or ¥5.3 trillion ($68 billion), the retirement manager said on Friday in Tokyo. That's the biggest drop since the fiscal year ended March 31, 2009"


Source: 
Japan's Government Pension Investment Fund loses $68 billion over year in stock rout
By Yuko Takeo and Shigeki Nozawa
JULY 29 2016
Bloomberg
http://www.theage.com.au/business/world-business/japans-government-pension-investment-fund-loses-68-billion-over-year-in-stock-rout-20160729-gqh2jm.html

japan, japanese, customer, consumer, pension, government, investment, results, trends, news, quote, 2016, returns, finance, www.japanesecustomer.com, @jcustomers, #japan, #pension #news 

Japan Airlines providing Halal Certified meals on all outbound flights

Japan Airlines providing Halal Certified meals on all outbound flights

"Japan Airlines (JAL) will provide Halal certified Muslim meals on all outbound international flights from Japan, (started tomorrow June 1, 2016). JAL has been serving Muslim meals as a special meal for Muslim customers. Recently the airline received Halal Certification from the Japan Islamic Trust (JIT) for the whole processing of its Muslim meal menus aboard all international flights departing from Japan.Additionally JAL has changed all dishware used for Muslim meals to disposable one with Halal Certification in order to deliver a sense of security to Muslim customers when they enjoy in-flight meals. Muslim travellers can opt for the Halal certified meal by email or phone at least 24 hours before the schedule departure time according to TradeArabia News Service"




Source: 

Japan Airlines to provide Halal certified Muslim meals 

By salama 

31/05/2016
http://halalfocus.net/japan-airlines-to-provide-halal-certified-muslim-meals/



japan, japanese, customer, consumer, www.japanesecustomer.com, @jcustomers, halal, meals, japan airlines, june 1 2016, customer service, news, quote, trends, food, airlines, trends, culture, #halal, #japan, #japanese, #japanesecustomer

Japanese customers consumption accounts for 60 percent of economy

Japanese customers consumption accounts for 60 percent of economy

“Households, especially the young generation, are penny-pinching because they don’t expect to see wage increases in the future,” Muto said. “Japan’s economy is losing the benefits of the weak yen that was seen in the past several years, with corporate profits turning downward, so the prospects for wages don’t look bright.With consumption accounting for about 60 percent of Japan’s economy, subdued spending on discretionary items like travel and entertainment makes it harder to pull the nation out of its funk, according to Muto. "






Hiroaki Muto, chief economist at Tokai Tokyo Research Center in Tokyo.

Source: ‘Penny-Pinching’ Japanese Households Spend Less on Having Fun, By Keiko Ujikane, Benchmark, July 26, 2016

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-07-25/-penny-pinching-japanese-households-spend-less-on-having-fun

japan, japanese, customer, consumer, news, statistics, trends, young, generation, spending, consumption, quote, news, www.japanesecustomer.com, @jcustomers, #japan, #japanesecustomers

Book Review Critical Issues in Contemporary Japan by Jeff Kingston

Book Review Critical Issues in Contemporary Japan

 by Jeff Kingston

A cross section of Japan told by a variety of scholars from anthropology, history, politics, international relations, business, law and sociology backgrounds who share their insights and knowledge across a range of topics including: Rapidly Aging society, Changing Employment system, Energy policy-Nuclear and Renewable, Gender discrimination, Immigration, Ethnic minorities, Trade policy, Civil society, Rural Japan, Post-3.11 Tsunami, earthquake, nuclear meltdown developments, Internationalization and more. 

Written in 2014 it provides an up to date overview of a range of topics to keep you informed about Japan in English. A very useful guide to help you to better understand Japan.

Book Review Critical Issues in Contemporary Japan

 by Jeff Kingston

japan, japanese, customer, consumer, lifestyle, issues, trends, current, insights, jeff kingston, critical issues in contemporary japan, www.japanesecustomers.com, @jcustomers, #bookreview, #japan, #japanesecustomers,  

Japanese government prepares US$188 billion stimulus package

"The Japanese government is arranging to compile a stimulus package of at least 20 trillion yen ($188 billion) to help the domestic economy emerge from deflation and fend off possible adverse effects of Brexit"

Source: 

Japanese gov't eyes over Y20 tril stimulus to support economy

 JUL. 21, 2016 

Japan Today

KYODO

http://www.japantoday.com/category/politics/view/japanese-govt-eyes-over-y20-tril-stimulus-to-support-economy

japan, japanese, customer, consumer, economy, stimulus, package, finance, news, www.japanesecustomer.com, @jcustomers, #news, #japan, #japanesecustomer

Negative interest rates in Japan made people hoard money

“Negative rates are turning out to be a dirt sandwich, especially for Japan...They thought that that was going to get people out spending. And what happened is they got people to go and buy safes and put money into their safes and hoard money.” 

Voya Financial Inc.’s Karyn Cavanaugh.







Source:
Japan’s ‘dirt sandwich’ of negative rates difficult to swallow: analyst
BLOOMBERG, AFP-JIJI
Japan Times Newspaper
JUL 14, 2016
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/07/14/business/financial-markets/japans-dirt-sandwich-negative-rates-difficult-swallow-analyst/#.V4hXzvl96Uk

japan, japanese, customer, consumer, finance, zero, hoarding, cash, home safe, interest rate, news, trends, www.japanesecustomer.com, @jcustomers, #japan, #japanesecustomers, #news

Japanese banks have tier one capital of about 12 percent

"Japanese banks have tier one capital ratio levels of about 12 percent, but this includes their cross-shareholdings in Japanese companies. If the unrealized value of these holdings is excluded, the average tier one capital for Japanese banks drops to about 8 or 9 per cent"


Source: Signs of uplift in bond yields is good news for banking stocks by Karen Maley, Australian Financial Review, Thursday 14th July 2016, p28.


japan, japanese, customer, consumer, bank, capital, tier one, percentages, news, statistics, www.japanesecustomer.com, @jcustomers, #japan, #japanese, #customer, #japanesecustomer, #trends
, #statistics

Average age of Japanese mothers in Australia at childbirth 35 years in 2016

"Median age at childbirth for mums in Australia based on their own country of birth

Top Five.

Number 5. Japan 35.1 years Mothers country of birth"


Source: ABS

Source: Migrant's cultural shift slows the birth of a new generation By Rick Morton, The Australian Newspaper, Thursday 14th July 2016, page 3.


japan, japanese, customer, consumer, australia, mother. country, birth, news, statistics, trends, generation, www.japanesecustomer.com, @jcustomers, #japan, #customer, #japanesecustomer

Japanese average monthly wages dropped in May 2016

"The average monthly wage among workers in Japan in May fell 0.2 percent from a year before to ¥267,933, down for the first time in 11 months, the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry said Friday......The drop happened because the proportion of part-time workers in the total workforce rose 0.18 percentage point to 30.17 percent. Wages for part-timers are about one-fourth of those for full-time regular employees."

Source: Wages in Japan down for first time in 11 months
JiJi
The Japan Times
JUL 8, 2016
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/07/08/business/wages-japan-first-time-11-months/#.V4HROet9671

japan, japanese, customer, consumer, wages, average, monthly, statistics, may, 2016, news, economy, business, trends, www.japanesecustomer.com, @jcustomers, #japan, #japanese, #news, #wages, #trends

Japanese spend 30 percent of their income on food USA only 10 percent

"American households spend around 10 per cent of their income on food, Japanese consumers spend more than 30 per cent. The higher cash outlay is driven by a quest for quality and knowing as much as possible about the source of their food"


Source: Specialty pork finds Japanese audience, Market to Market, July 8, 2016, Iowa Public Television, iptv.org, 
http://site.iptv.org/mtom/story/16214/specialty-pork-finds-japanese-audience



japan, japanese, customer, consumer, income, spending, consumption, trends, news, statistics,food, www.japanesecustomer.com, @jcustomers, #japan, #japanese, #food, # #news, #japanesecustomer

Japanese 20 year bonds go negative for the first time

"Japanese 20 year bond yields dipped into negative territory for the first time yesterday, joining their 10-year brethren as fixed markets are telling you growth is a long way off" 

Source: A warning sign in bonds, By John Durie, The Australian, Thursday 7th July 2016, page 32.

japan, japanese, customer, consumer, bonds, interest, rates, news, trends, economy, statistics, finance, www.japanesecustomer.com, #japanesecustomer

#japanese, #japan, #news 

87 percent of Japanese Government Bonds are now below zero

"Earlier this month, Japanese government bonds with maturities up to almost 20 years went negative. That means almost 87 percent of Japanese government bonds (JGB) are now below zero.....JGB are one of the best performing investments globally. They have returned 8.06 per cent so far this year.....The BOJ now holds almost 30 per cent of its government bonds"

Source: Negative yields jolt Japanese by Anjani Trivedi, 
The Wall Street Journal, The Australian Newspaper,
 Wednesday 6th July, 2016, page 25


japan, japanese, customer, consumer, economy, finance, bonds, yield, news, trend, negative, interest, 2016, july, bank of japan, JGB, www.japanesecustomer.com, @jcustomers, #japan, #japanese, #customer

"Last year, only Japan made more steel than China exported"

"Last year, only Japan made more steel than China exported"

Source: Arcelor Mittal sees global steel markets stabilising
By John Miller and Alex MacDonald
The Wall Street Journal
The Australian Newspaper, Monday 9th May, 2016, page 24.


japan, japanese, consumer, customer, statistics, steel, trends, www.japanesecustomer.com, @jcustomers, #japan, #japanese, #consumer, #customer