Cultural Analysis

Any of us who experienced the events of March 11, 2011 and their aftermath will understand just how intrinsic social media platforms have...

Coming from a land of suburban castles, it’s sometimes a little surprising for Americans to see the relative lack of focus Japanese place...

Given that the market for luxury in Japan has been shrinking in recent years, Hankyu’s decision to double down by opening a luxury...

At the beginning of last year, I predicted a “perfect marketing storm” in terms of the rapid evolution of both distribution channels and...

Most marketing efforts related to fashion, cosmetics and grooming in Japan are directed toward women, but it looks as though men are gaining...

Luxury brands are one of the most interesting of all consumer products here, since the Japanese have long prized them, and indeed, still...

The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, or GEM has pointed out that in “2000–2009, Japan recorded one of the lowest rates of entrepreneurial activity amongst...

Two recent high-profile information security breaches — Sony and U.S. marketing firm Epsilon — have once again highlighted the critical importance of information security.

Two recent high-profile data breaches — at Sony Corp. and U.S. marketing firm Epsilon — have once again highlighted the critical importance of information security.

In the autumn of last year I reflected upon the extraordinary summer heat we had experienced, and the effect of seasonality upon near-term...

At the beginning of this year, I predicted a “perfect marketing storm” in terms of the rapid evolution of both sales/distribution channels and...

It was back in 2006 that columnist, Maki Fukusawa, alerted us to the possibility that Japan’s fabled salarymen were mutating into something rather...