#jcustomer
Japanese Customer News
Thursday 1st March, 2012
1. 35% of Japanese workers now non regular - a record high according to survey
“35.2 percent of all workers are now classified as non-regular and/or non-fulltime employees, meaning they are either part-timers, contractees or temps. That’s 0.8 points higher than in 2010.”
Source: Japan Times, Yen for Living by Philip Brasor
2. Japanese consumers enjoy soy beans
“Japan's annual soy bean consumption… came to about 3.64 million tons in fiscal 2010”
Source: Mainichi News
3. Japanese customers relying more on Russia for energy needs
“Russia accounted for 4.3 percent of Japan's gas imports in 2009, but this percentage doubled to 8.6 percent in 2010. Russia also provided 7 percent of Japan's crude oil imports in 2010.”
Source: Daily Yomiuri, January 28th, 2012
4. Japanese customers worried about future pensions
“The shortfall of social security funds is expected to reach 12.8 trillion yen by 2015”
Source: Daily Yomiuri, Dec 31, 2011 http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/columns/commentary/T111230005197.htm
Book: Lonely Planet Kyoto
5. Japanese travelers enjoy the Gion Festival in Kyoto
“Kyoto. The name evokes the geisha of Gion and the mystique of old Japan. So what better way to experience that than by hightailing it to the ancient capital for the renowned Gion Festival in July?”