Spending in Japan: Updated Sept. 29, 2025.

Clothing, footwear spending in Japan in 2024 halved from bubble-era period

Article source: https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20250925/p2g/00m/0li/017000c

Ideas:

Consumer spending in Japan has always been a challenge is the Japanese just don't spend like US consumers do as the Japanese, for the most part, are more savers than spenders.

Being a saver is good for the individual or family but not good for an economy as for example businesses that save are good for a business but not good for investments or spending in an economy.

Back in the day during the 1980's economic boom in Japan spending might have been out of control or there was a lot of spending maybe thinking that the boom could last forever, which of course it didn't.

Strained budgets are been a part of the Japanese economy for a very long time, as for example many Japanese companies, in the early 2000's decided to limit wage increases for their workers.

As a result, as normal, Japanese workers began to cut-back on their spending which might have caused the Japanese economy to become stagnant and not grow with eventually resulted in deflation.

Only recently, the past two years have Japanese companies have begun to loosen the purse strings have begun to increase wages to help improve the economy and or from pressure from the Japanese government to increase wages to help the economy grow.

Yes, for the most part, except for needed essential clothing, clothing can be considered important but not an essential product to buy every week or every month but just once or twice a year at the most.

And yes, food is very much an essential item and needs to be bought every day or every week as needed, depending on a families style or an individuals style, as some Japanese families might be fresh food every day at the local supermarket and or some might bu bentos or boxed meals as needed as they go home from work.

Yes, as Japanese consumer begin to see less and less in their disposable incomes they might see the need to find clothing bargains and or seek out clothing stores that offer prices which match their budgets.

Today's Japanese mindset among consumers maybe now are getting used to the idea of flea markets and secondhand clothing as needed to keep their budgets from getting too bloated due to increased inflation in Japan.

And yes, fast fashion companies such as GU, Uniqlo, and maybe Zara and H&M are good places to buy as they might be better alternatives than the more traditional clothing shops in Japan.

The traditional clothing shop in Japan, while providing high quality products might not be the best choice for the average Japanese family these days.

And yes, the upper-middle class and other groups might still buy from the traditional high-priced shops but now they might be out of reach for again the average Japanese family of even the lower-middle class family that can't afford to go to Ginza and from the ups-scales stores  in some places in Tokyo.

The spending habits of the average Japanese consumer is changing like it is in many countries globally these days and companies need to be aware that what is good today might not be good tomorrow as consumer spending habits and tastes are are always changing.

Have a nice day!