The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of 17 goals and 169 targets that countries are encouraged to use as a guide for sustainable development.
Back in 2018 I published an article on LinkedIn titled, ‘Young and Careful: Japan’s Strangely Conservative Youth’. At the time of writing that piece it had, for some time, seemed to me that young people in Japan were going against the expected role of social change-maker that I and other foreigners may have expected.
Just this past weekend (October 16-18), the popular animation “Demon Slayer(鬼滅の刃)” released its first movie in cinemas across the nation, shattering all-time opening records by bringing in 4.6 billion JPY (approximately $44 million).
Both cautiously and optimistically we can say that it looks like the peak of the Covid crisis has passed in Japan. Shops are open, restaurants are filling up, people are going back to their offices and, supported by the government’s ‘Go To’ travel campaign, domestic tourism is showing signs of life.
With Covid-19 dealing a fatal blow to the economy, the information superhighway has provided a gateway for individuals and businesses in creatively responding to the crisis.
The economic impact on consumer spending we have seen due to the Covid 19 Crisis will have long–term ramifications for the top three global economies of the United States, China and Japan. In all three markets we are seeing diminishing consumer expectations and purchasing behavior in categories like clothing and transportation.
It is already beyond a cliché to use the term ‘new normal’ when it comes to describing our business and personal lives since the Covid crisis began. Nevertheless, it’s simply a fact that things are very different than they were on January 1st 2020 when we rang in the new year with our usual optimism.
Recently, a lot of people are working from home due to the Coronavirus epidemic. Yet, many continue to work at their offices or other related venues demonstrating how ingrained work habits are in Japanese daily life.
Since 2017, CarterJMRN has published a yearly index of consumer sentiments in Japan. We have gauged the Japanese response on a range of topics including their thoughts on the United States and major brand associations.