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Todays Contents
1. Overview of the Food Service Industry and Other Food-Related Industries in Japan
2. Strategies Adopted by the Food Industry to Address the Issue of Japan's Shrinking Population: Expansion into
Overseas Markets
3. Major and Local Japanese Food Companies' Expansion into Overseas Markets
4. Adoption of New Technologies: Sushi Robots, Freeze-Drying Processing, etc.
5. Spread of Farmers' Markets (Farm Stands) in Japan
Agriculture, forestry
and fisheries, 114.8
0%
10%
Material supply
industry, 27.8
Food industry, 323.1
20%
30%
40%
Food distribution
business, 228.7
Related investment,
20.4
50%
60%
70%
Restaurant, 198.1
80%
90%
100%
The Japan's agriculture and food industries were worth 913 billion dollars. The
food industry, the food distribution industry and the restaurant industry
accounted for 80% of the total production.
4
2008
2009
2010
2012
2013
2014
2015
8.2
8.00
8.07
8.17
8.04
7.90
7.89
7.93
12.8
12.5
12.8
13.1
12.8
13.0
12.4
12.4
Note: Figures estimated by Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries based on labor force
survey by Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications
Note: The figures for 2011 not included because Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami hit
Japan that year
The number of employees in the food industry is generally on the decline, but the figure rose in
2015 from the previous year. In addition, the food industry workers account for a large portion
of all the employees in Japan.
Employees in the food industry include not only full-time workers but part-time employees.
Many of those employees also work only for a short time, depending on their life situations.
5
trillion yen
9.0
8.0
7.0
6.0
5.0
4.0
3.0
2.0
1.0
0.0
6.7
4.8
7.2
4.9
7.4
5.1
7.7
5.1
8.0
5.1
8.5
5.4
8.7
6.1
9.4
7.0
46.0
45.0
44.0
43.0
2.3
2.2
2.2
2.0
1.9
42.0
41.0
2.4
trillion yen
1.9
1.9
40.0
39.0
38.0
CVS
Department store
Source: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's statistics about business trends
Food sales for department stores are low but stable, while the figures for
supermarkets and convenience stores are on the rise. Of them, sales for
convenience stores have been rising especially rapidly.
6
thousand households
140,000
80,000
70,000
120,000
60,000
100,000
50,000
80,000
40,000
60,000
30,000
40,000
20,000
20,000
10,000
Population
65 or older
Number of
households (right
axis)
0
1995
2000
2005
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
(2) Frequency of eating out and use of precooked food or restaurant meals
50
45
41.2 41.5 41.3 41.2
40
39.3
39.8
42.1
43.0 42.8
42.6
43.5
44.1
44.7
35.6
40.8 40.7
38.1
37.0
35.4
35
33.4
34.9
35.8
36.6 36.9
37.3
37.7
36.8 36.6
38.3
37.1
36.2
36.7
35.8 35.5 35.4
35.2
36.0
35.1 35.3
33.5
30
31.8
28.4
25
11
40,000
35,000
30,000
25,000
392
405
406
427
447
15,000
8,907
11,139
600
508
10,296 10,880
7,648
500
440
10,630
12,787
13,509
400
300
15,065
200
10,000
5,000
533
20,148
20,000
10,361
companies
15,574
100
0
FY2006
FY2007
FY2008
FY2009
FY2010
FY2011
FY2012
FY2013
Source: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's basic survey on overseas businesses
Major brand(s)
Major product(s)
(Business type)
Number of
outlets
overseas
Number of
outlets to
open
during
2016
Increase for
2015
Yoshinoya Holdings
675
68
105
Mos Burger
Hamburger
326
Saizeriya
Saizeriya
Family restaurant
290
60
85
Toridoll
Marukame Seimen
Udon noodle
243
141
80
Plenus
Yayoi
155
21
40
Genki Sushi
147
13
10
CoCo Ichibanya
Japanese-style curry
143
20
30
Sukiya
141
62
126
Hachi-Ban Ramen
Ramen noodle
118
Watami
Watami
"Izakaya" pub
97
Unknown
Unknown
Ootoya Holdings
Ootoya
88
13
16
Kappa Sushi
46
Unknown
Unknown
Genki Sushi
Ichibanya
Zensho Holdings
Hachi-Ban
MA: n = 254
62.2
58.3
60.0
50.0
40.0
33.9
29.9
30.0
29.9
27.6
22.4
22.0
20.0
10.0
0.0
Lack of
information on
local laws and
commercial
practice
Acquisition
Acquisition
Changes to
Cannot find
Local food
There are no Fund raising
and
and
local
local business distribution
advisory
development development regulations on
partners
infrastructure organizations,
of employees
of local
foreign firms
not sufficiently or cannot find
who can help
workers
and laws
developed
them
promote
expansion into
overseas
(4) Important points for overseas expansion in the food service industry
Three key points
Whether to serve meals that taste the same as those served in Japan
Or change the menu to match the taste of local consumers
(If meals are changed, what changes should be made)
Whether ingredients suitable for the company's menu can be procured
For example, rice is very important in Japanese cuisine, but whether local eaters
like rice depends on the country.
(A group headed by Prof. Ito is studying the liking for Japonica rice in various
states as well as what rice is used at Japanese restaurants in overseas countries.)
16
17
An automated robot to shape rice for sushi was developed 35 years ago.
The latest models are about three times smaller than the first sushi robot,
making it possible for restaurant operators to install such a machine even
in a small kitchen.
One of those latest sushi robots can shape a rice ball for sushi per second,
or 3,600 balls per hour.
Anyone can put sliced fish on rice, if the rice base is properly prepared.
It takes time and costs to nurture sushi chefs.
It becomes easier to open many shops if robots automatically shape rice
base for sushi. Even facilities other than sushi restaurants can serve sushi
(sushi are served at student cafeterias of universities in the United States).
Some people criticize sushi made by robots, saying they are not genuine
sushi. But seen from the opposite perspective, sushi robots can be used to
underline the difference between sushi made by chefs and machines.
18
(3) There are five major companies that manufacture sushi robots
Suzumo Machinery Co., Ltd. accounts for the largest share of more
than 50 percent in the sushi robot market. Suzumo can dominate
the market partly because it owns many patents.
Fujiseiki Co., Ltd. the second largest firm in the sushi robot industry,
controls 80 percent of the rice ball robot market.
Number of patents each company received from 2011 to 2013.
2011-2013
Suzumo
31
Fujiseiki
11
Audio Technica
Tomoe
Top
16,816
13,538
11,310
13,232
Farm
stand
SEJ
FY2005
FY2010
Source: Report on Results of 2010 World Census of
Agriculture and Forestry In Japan, SEJs IR date
There currently are more farmers' markets than stores of Seven-Eleven Japan
Co., Ltd. though it is the largest convenience store chain operator in Japan.
20
(%)
39.5
22,980
23,560
23,710
35
31.8
30
facilities
32.8
32.4
15,000
12,160
10,000
15
10
5
0
20,000
Facilities
Less than 1 million yen
25
20
25,000
1.4
1.2
FY2010
6.2
6.7
6.4
5.6
1.9
FY2011
2.6
FY2012
5,000
6.3
FY2013
6.6
2.5
23
6. Conclusions
The Japanese food industry - one of the largest industries in the country
- accounts for more than 10 percent of Japan's GDP.
Some food companies, including food service ones, have entered the
agricultural business. Meanwhile, agricultural corporations (farmers) that
also serve as retailers or food service firms have emerged.
Japan's population is shrinking, while the number of one-person
households and households consisting of fewer members is on the rise.
Food processing technologies play a significant role by helping simplify
cooking processes.
The Japanese food market is shrinking in tandem with the population
decline.
An increasing number of food companies have expanded into overseas
markets to address Japan's trend of population decline.
Japanese companies doing business overseas are seeking local firms and
local workers to tie up with.
When food companies expand into overseas, new business opportunities
are created, such as establishing the local channel to procure ingredients
and materials and developing a cold chain.
24
Suggestions
Can a business model in which companies expand into overseas markets
because of the aging and shrinking of the Japanese population be justified?
The strategy of companies expanding into overseas markets just because they
failed in the Japanese market lacks the sustainability.
Foreign countries will also surely experience the dwindling birthrate and the
aging and shrinking of the population in the future.
A business model based on the assumption that the population will continue
growing is impossible.
It is now time for the Japanese food industry to establish a new sustainable
business model that will work even in societies whose populations are shrinking.
Studying the Japanese food industry's business strategies will lead to a better
understanding of issues that will face countries when their populations start
declining in the future.
(Japan already faces many issues that other states will likely experience in the
future.)
25