Retail

Japan requires anyone entering the country, regardless of nationality, to self-quarantine for two weeks. (Photo by Kei Higuchi)
Coronavirus

Duty free shopping data busts quarantine busters in Japan

Officials fail to take advantage of information exposing gaps in COVID controls

5 June 2021
Department store sales in Tokyo fell 32% in April from the same month in 2019, before the pandemic, according to the Japan Department Stores Association. (Photo by Tomoki Mera)
Retail

Japan department stores downbeat despite longer operation hours

Industry calls for rent support, warning of impact on suppliers

5 June 2021
VinCommerce, one of SK Group's investment targets, runs convenience stores and supermarkets across Vietnam. (Photo by Tomoya Onishi)
Business trends

South Korea's SK Group bets big on Vietnam's 100m consumer market

Third-ranked chaebol looks to transform VinCommerce into another Amazon

5 June 2021
Starbucks has begun selling reusable straws in Japan. The coffee shop operator said in 2018 that it would phase out single-use plastic straws worldwide. (Photo courtesy of Starbucks Coffee Japan)
Environment

Days of free plastic forks and straws numbered under new Japan law

Restaurants hunt for innovative solutions to cut down on single-use waste

5 June 2021
Coupang is expanding beyond its home market of South Korea. (Photo by Kotaro Hosokawa)
Technology

South Korea's Coupang launches trial operation in Japan

E-commerce giant's first overseas foray focuses on food delivery in Tokyo ward

4 June 2021
Aeon's four new items of clothing under the Self+Service brand include blouses and pullovers. (Photo courtesy of Aeon)
Environment

Aeon breathes new life into old clothes with recycled-fabric lineup

Earth-friendly apparel brand reprocesses fibers from castoffs donated to stores

4 June 2021
A cargo aircraft chartered by JD.com for flights between Shenzhen and Bangkok. (Photo courtesy of the company)
China tech

JD.com debuts chartered cargo flights to Thailand

Cross-border online shipments to be delivered in 48 hours

1 June 2021
Sony expects to maneuver around constrained chip supplies and build 22.6 million PS5 consoles as it prepares to break its PlayStation sales record in fiscal 2022. (Photo by Kei Higuchi)
Media & Entertainment

Sony expects PS5 to break 24-year-old console sales record

Gaming chief says China growth will be spurred by locally created content

27 May 2021
Nojima joined hands with troubled Suruga Bank in May 2020 to help in its rebuilding. (Source photos by Reuters and Toru Hanai)
Business deals

Japan electronics chain Nojima set to end partnership with Suruga Bank

Nojima considers selling 18% stake in clash over appointment of directors

26 May 2021
Major Indonesian retailer Hero Supermarket said it would close most of its Giant-branded hypermarkets and convert some into outlets of Ikea, the Swedish brand it runs under a franchise agreement. (File photo by Keichiro Asahara)
Retail

Indonesia's Hero to close most hypermarkets as landscape changes

Retailer instead plans to increase Ikea franchise outlets to meet new demand

26 May 2021
Women make up 42% of customers at Seven-Eleven Japan, the country's biggest convenience store chain. (Photo by Keiichiro Sato)
Retail

Seven-Eleven parent to triple female executives to 30% by 2025

Japan's top convenience store chain seeks to adapt to changing customer base

26 May 2021
Uniqlo maintains that there is no forced labor in its supply chains, despite U.S. claims to the contrary.
Retail

Uniqlo says 'no direct deal' with entity in China's Xinjiang area

Clothing retailer challenges import ban by US customs over human rights issue

25 May 2021
Yang Guang, vice president of Tmall, said the platform has seen an influx of 250,000 brands.
Caixin

Alibaba's Tmall sees vendor sign-ups soar ahead of online shop fest

Lower entry barriers attract more brands to annual '6.18' event

24 May 2021
Big Japanese apparel and sporting goods makers will stop buying cotton from Xinjiang due to suspected human rights violations there. (Source photos by Maho Obata, Yoshiyuki Tamai and Getty Images)
Business trends

Japan's World and Mizuno to stop use of China's Xinjiang cotton

Companies face scrutiny over forced labor concerns in autonomous region

21 May 2021
A Meituan delivery driver, right, in Shanghai in April. Meituan was cited last week for pressuring partner companies.
China tech

China tech crackdown casts pall over June '618' shopping spree

Pinduoduo and Meituan stocks fall after disciplinary action by regulators

20 May 2021
An employee folds a shirt at a Uniqlo store in Tokyo. 
Retail

Uniqlo shirts blocked by US customs over Xinjiang labor suspicions

China denies forced labor is used in supply chain for raw cotton

20 May 2021
CEO Jakob Angele says Foodpanda's focus on food deliveries gives it an advantage over super apps like Grab. (Photo by Kentaro Iwamoto)
Interview

Foodpanda sticks with Myanmar despite political unrest

Asia-focused operator builds 200 cloud supermarkets to counter Grab and Uber

19 May 2021
Sea's current businesses include online gaming, e-commerce, food delivery and digital payment.
Startups

Sea reports $422m loss in Q1 as ASEAN tech draws investors

Singapore group says it is 'in best position' in the region as rivals announce merger

18 May 2021
Myanmar's garment industry, already hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, has been further paralyzed by the withdrawal of orders by several international clothing brands. (AFP/Jiji)
Myanmar Crisis

Danish clothing brand poised to resume Myanmar sourcing

Bestseller had joined H&M and others in pausing orders after Feb. 1 coup

14 May 2021
Dingdong Maicai plans to use the proceeds from its latest funding round to spruce up its supply chain.
DealStreetAsia

Chinese online grocer Dingdong Maicai raises $330m

Vision Fund-led round to help startup meet fierce competition in sector

14 May 2021
Seven & i Holdings has earned about 60% of its group operating profit from convenience stores in Japan.
Retail

Japanese parent of 7-Eleven faces US activist pressure to break up

ValueAct demands restructuring after gaining 4% stake in Seven & i

14 May 2021
Gojek is known for its tech-based business model but is also showing interest in more traditional retail networks. (Photo by Dimas Ardian) 
Technology

Indonesia's Gojek invests in local hypermarket operator

Stake in Lippo brick-and-mortar affiliate comes ahead of merger with Tokopedia

12 May 2021
Alfamart's core convenience store business has proved resilient during the pandemic, with 1,400 new outlets opened in 2020. (Photo by Erwida Maulia)
Retail

Indonesia convenience store Alfamart seeks 'new economy' growth

Plans include tech investment, digital bank tie-up, coworking spaces and coffee

12 May 2021
The China International Consumer Products Expo in Hainan is supposed to tout export powerhouse China's efforts to increase imports and boost domestic consumption. (Photo by Yusuke Hinata)
Trade

China's first consumer expo in Hainan shows taste for the finer things

From French wine to Japanese makeup, brands find gateway to mainland

8 May 2021
Nitori's customers in Tokyo and Kanagawa Prefecture can take a break from furniture shopping to dine on chicken-fried steak and other entrees. (Source photos by Makoto Okada and Shihoko Nakaoka) 
Retail

Japan's Nitori furniture chain opens low-price steakhouses

Big box retailer to apply its integrated production-to-sales model to dining

6 May 2021