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~ Rakuten ~

And the Japanese consumer, generally speaking, according A kit of legal and economic benefits and solutions that seems
to a Vogue report titled Inside Japan’s cutting-edge luxury tailormade to particularly promote small European luxury
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retailers , has a high level of appreciation for European luxury brands in the Japanese market.
brands and considers European products—except technology
products—as “high quality”. Is it profitable? Let’s crunch some numbers
If we look at the numbers, in 2019, the total Japanese
EU and Japan: Partners in trade market value was worth 177,65 billion euros, and current
Add to this the advantageous reality of the current EU- predictions show that the market will continue to grow.
Japan Economic Partnership Agreement, which among other The projected Compound Annual Growth Rate from 2019
things, removes the tariffs from European brands selling in to 2023 is as high as 8%. Not to mention that Japan has
Japan—effectively creating a sort of free market—and you will also had the highest digital buyer percentage in the region
rapidly realise that, perhaps, Japan is a great place to be for a for a few years running.
European brand.
Especially for e-commerce, Japan could be a heaven
The EU-Japan Economic Partnership also provides the scenario. There is an incredibly high internet penetration
following benefits: rate in Japan, coming in at around 89.8%; the internet
usage rate by device for smartphones is 63.3% which is
• Ensures the openness of services markets, in 12.9 points higher than for computers, at 50.4%, and
particular financial services, telecommunications, and online shopping has been steadily trending upward since
transport. then and was drastically accelerated in 2020 because of
• Guarantees non-discriminatory treatment of EU COVID-19, surging by over 50%.
businesses operating in the public procurement
markets. So, in short, the Japanese market is a global economic
• Improves the protection of intellectual property power market, attractive for any kind of business. But…
rights in Japan as well as the protection of high- what is attractive to the Japanese? This is our first question
quality European agricultural products, so-called to solve if we want to be successful in Japan.
geographical indications (GIs)
• Provides enhanced support to smaller firms that are
disproportionately affected by trade barriers.

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