Uniqlo risks boycott in China after CEO’s Xinjiang comment
Beijing – Casual wear giant Uniqlo is facing calls for a consumer boycott in China after the CEO of the clothing company’s owner said it does not source cotton from …
retailers
Japan records highest number of bankruptcies in a decade as costs rise
Japan saw the highest number of bankruptcies since 2013 in the six months through September, as companies were increasingly hit by rising costs. Some 4,990 firms went bankrupt in that …
Grilled eel leaves one dead and 140 sick in Japan
Grilled eel, a popular summer delicacy in Japan, is behind a department store food poisoning incident that has left more than 140 people sick and one dead, the store’s president …
Thrift store operator Komehyo pushing to expand business overseas
Nagoya – Japanese thrift store operator Komehyo Holdings is accelerating efforts to expand operations abroad by leveraging growing interest in a circular economy aimed at minimizing waste. The company hopes …
Japan’s Valentine’s Day chocolate budget sees 34% rise
The average budget for women planning to buy Valentine’s Day chocolate stands at ¥5,024, marking a 34% increase from the previous year, according to a survey released Thursday by Tokyo …
Japan’s convenience store sales rise 4.1% to record high in 2023
Convenience store sales rose to a record high in 2023 for the second consecutive year, growing 4.1% on the back of the removal of COVID-19 restrictions, a surge in inbound …
Uniqlo sues Chinese fast-fashion rival Shein to defend hit bag
Uniqlo, part of Fast Retailing, sued Shein in Japan, accusing the Chinese retailer of copying its popular Round Mini Shoulder Bag. The entities that operate the Shein brand must immediately …
Will holiday spending pump up or peter out?
The misleading headline, “2023 Holiday to Reach Record Spending Levels” from the National Retail Federation (NRF), might lead you to think that the 2023 holiday season will be a smash …
Sogo & Seibu labor union begins strike at flagship Ikebukuro store
Sogo & Seibu was cornered into closing its flagship Ikebukuro department store in Tokyo on Thursday, as its labor union launched a rare strike to express discontent over the planned …