We will introduce the latest trends in Japan as an additional service to our busy clients.
Trends, we mention here, do not refer to fads that quickly disappear. For example, “high school girls seem to be into wearing ties recently,” or “the boom of eating hot chili oil as a topping have come and gone.”
Instead of such short-term fads, we here will identify major social trends.
Trends do not disappear suddenly.
Trends are born but also fade and disappear due to social changes.
For example, internet service brought about immense change to our society.
Knowing the trends is the first step in acquiring insights.
Knowing the trends is the first step to Organic Growth.
This is because products/services with longevity are always side by side with one of the latest trends.
Here we will introduce trends in Japan as of November, 2023.

Ethical trends are flourishing.
▼Supermarkets charge for plastic bags today. Restaurants have started substituting paper straws for plastic.
▼Companies appeal their involvement with environmental initiatives not only in PR activities but also in advertisements as well as utilizing relevant findings for their product/service development.
▼Active discussions are taking place re LGBTQ in the legislative, judicial and press fields.
▼Government has been promoting work style reform although consideration to the employers is still not at pace.
▼Gender equality achievement has always been slow in Japan. But the efforts are more proactively and more seriously now.
▼Interest in fair trade is beginning to increase. It is still minor but the idea that “a good price should be paid to products/services for a fair deal*” is starting to emerge.
*Delivery of products/services to end-users without anybody killed, harmed, tricked, or exploited.

Ethical trends are flourishing worldwide.
▼Global boiling has become a real challenge around the world.
▼Japan was hit by the Great East Japan earthquake. The world has changed from the Cold War to a multipolar era, and terror attacks and wars have been breaking out in various places.
▼These have brought about social changes, and people are now more attentive to ethical trends.
▼While ethical trends flourish spontaneously overseas, the nature of the Japanese drives them to aim towards the goals all together once a concise slogan is set.
▼In Japan LOHAS (Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability) was frequently topical in the past while there was little awareness of it overseas. Today SDGs is in a similar situation.
▼Since 17 goals at the United Nations, the SDGs were developed, Japan has been eagerly trying to achieve the goals.
On the Sustainable Development Goals
▼SDGs has become a trigger for a major social change and is giving birth to new trends in Japan.

“Only for Me”
▼When Japanese people began to think “I should be more assertive,” trend for tailor made products/services “only for me” was thriving.
▼Today “bond with others” has gained more importance than “only for me.”
▼Now people are not hesitant in using follow-the-crowd products like UNIQLO when necessary.

“Pampering Myself”
▼Trend for “self-praise and self-pampering because I am working so hard” created demands for esthetic salons, spas and hot springs among working women.
▼With the implementation of work style reform, seniors at the work place afraid of being accused of harassment, began to refrain from giving guidance and teaching the younger work force.
▼Relatively unskilled younger workers are no longer required to work overly hard. And there is still no salary increase.
▼Young people are faced with insecurity of their career development and future living so they have little room for self-pampering in their mind.

“Beauty, Health & Anti-aging”
▼Due to the declining birthrate and aging population in Japan, trend for “beauty, health and anti-aging” remains immortal.
▼Even appliance manufacturers are recently positioning beauty devices as growth area as well as medical, beauty, cosmetics and food industries.
▼Genetic studies have been remarkably progressing in the world since “being young, healthy and beautiful” is an universal desire.

“Fantasy & Nerdy”
▼Japan is a power nation of cartoons and animations. A trend for “fantasy and nerdy culture” including theme parks, games, costume playing, and so on is creating a lot of demands.
▼Although population of youth, its major target is decreasing in Japan, inbound demands for “Fantasy & Nerdy” is increasing from overseas.

“Connoisseurship”
▼Traditional Japanese culture has created a trend for “connoisseurship, being particular and meticulous” in everything from food, clothing and shelter to art and music.
▼GACKT (Japanese singer/song writer, actor, and YouTuber known for his unique superman character) is famous for being a connoisseur in a wide variety of fields.
▼Many people believe they are one level above and are a connoisseur in their expert field.