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4play See other 4play Articles Title: Mercedes and moisturiser: Japanese men go shopping TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese men appear to be going where they've rarely gone before: shopping. A government drive to save energy by turning down air conditioning sent men to the store to stock up on short-sleeve shirts and other casual wear, making them surprise contributors to a rise in retail sales, which climbed for a fifth straight month in July year-on-year. Analysts say the buying, while still accounting for only around a 10th of total Japanese consumption, is no passing fashion as a recovering economy as well as lifestyle and demographic changes make shopping more acceptable to men. "The 'cool biz' drive definitely encouraged men to shop, and for some it was probably the first time in years. But men are shopping more in general," said Yasuyuki Sasaki, senior analyst and director at Credit Suisse First Boston. Japanese men have been seen as chronic under-spenders, partly because shopping in Japan is considered women's activity and husbands traditionally spend within an allowance set by their wives. Male clothing is often inconveniently located on the upper floors of Japan's department stores, while prime retail space is filled with luxury foreign brands targeting women. A lack of gender-specific data makes it hard to measure exactly how much men are spending, but department stores cite a rise in male shoppers and analysts point to the popularity of custom-made suits and luxury cars such as Mercedes-Benz. Toyota Motor Corp., seeing further room for the luxury market to grow, began selling its Lexus line in its home market this week to gain a foothold in the premium sedan market. "Because male spending is really the slowest to pick up, a recovery there is a strong sign that the overall economy is doing very well," said Junichi Makino, a senior economist at Daiwa Institute of Research. Most Japanese employees, who traditionally get a large chunk of their salary in the form of semi-annual bonuses, also took home bigger bonuses this summer and last winter compared to a year earlier, according to payrolls data. In addition, the Nikkei average has risen nearly 10 percent since the start of the year amid an economic recovery. YOU LOOK MARVELOUS Strong sales of luxury items are also being driven by demographic changes, analysts say. Post-war baby boomers born between 1947 and 1949 hold more than 50 trillion yen in savings and are entering retirement over the next few years. Analysts also point out that the average age of marriage is now around 30 for men, about three years later than a few decades ago. Since more women work and couples have fewer children, men in their 20s and 30s have more money to spend on themselves. The younger generation is also seen more careful about appearance, and men's grooming products have expanded from shaving lotion to a wider range of goods such as moisturiser, cologne and blotting paper. Department store Isetan Co. focussed on the younger, cash-rich and fashion-conscious generation and opened a men's annex two years ago. Sales there have maintained a steady uptrend and the company's share price has soared more than 40 percent so far this year. United Arrows Ltd., a clothing retailer whose mix of imported designer wear and own line of casual clothing has proven popular with urban 30-somethings, says the "cool biz" drive appears to have encouraged men to update their wardrobe with new pants and jackets. "Sales have been quite strong so far this year. We're seeing our male customers buying a wide range of items," said Satoshi Tan, head of United Arrows' investor relations group, comparing sales to the previous year when adverse weather patterns also kept customers away. The company's shares have doubled since the start of the year. Daiichi Life Research Institute says a rise in men's shopping offers new opportunities for retailers. "There's a growing chance of coming up with a hit product if you can sell something that appeals to the growing segment of men who are very conscious about fashion," said Daiichi Life's senior economist Toshihiro Nagahama.
Poster Comment: *Let's Have A War* by Fear Let's have a War Let's have a War Let's have a War Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
#1. To: Dakmar (#0)
That I didn't know.
"There are only two things we should fight for. One is the defense of our homes and the other is the Bill of Rights. War for any other reason is simply a racket." – General Smedley Butler
like rats in a cage, lol.
"Most of the trouble in this world has been caused by folks who can't mind their own business, because they have no business of their own to mind, any more than a smallpox virus has." - William S. Burroughs
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