Japan news and archive

20 years on: A brief history of Tokyo’s fashion week

As the 20th edition of Tokyo Fashion Week begins to wrap up, it seems an apt time to look back on the evolution of Japan’s leading fashion event and how it has been reshaped over its lifespan. This season, under the theme ‘Be The Seam That Connects The World - JFW 20 + 20’, the fashion week wished not only to pay tribute to its 20-year history,...

Retail|In Pictures

Calvin Klein to open largest lifestyle store in Tokyo

American designer brand Calvin Klein Inc., a subsidiary of PVH Corp., is continuing its global retail expansion with the opening of its largest lifestyle store in Tokyo, Japan, designed in a one-of-a-kind concept. The new global flagship store, opening on August 29, is located at 4-31-10, Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, in the heart of Harajuku, Tokyo....

Fashion

Japan Fashion Week to celebrate 20 years with forward-looking Rakuten FWT

The Japan Fashion Week Organisation (JFWO) is celebrating its 20th anniversary for the spring/summer 2026 season, and with it will come a future-orientated edition of Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo (FWT). This season, both the fashion week’s visual theme – ‘The Future Doesn’t Appear Out of Nowhere’ – as well as its overall theme – ‘Be the seam that...

People

Founder of Japan’s The Soloist to step down from creative helm

Takahiro Miyashita has revealed his intention to step down from the creative helm of TheSoloist, the brand he founded in 2010. The Japanese designer announced in a post on Instagram that the autumn/winter 2025 collection, entitled ‘The Black -And- White Realism’, will be his last for the label. In the statement, Miyashita said: “15 years on, the...

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Business

Asia holds the thread: Regional textile powers reinvent strategies amid global slowdown

While 2024-2025 financial results show a slowdown in consumption in several Asian countries – particularly for luxury groups like LVMH – the global textile sector continues to rely on the region. Several indicators from the first half of 2025 confirm Asia’s central role in global value chains. Between export growth, structural adjustments,...

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Business

EU and Japan agree on closer cooperation

Japan and the European Union (EU) aim to further strengthen their cooperation in the areas of economic security, trade and defence. For this purpose, both sides launched a "Competitiveness Alliance" at a summit meeting in Tokyo. "We will expand our cooperation on increasing the resilience of supply chains and reducing strategic dependencies," a...

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Business

Trump announces 'massive' trade agreement with Japan, citing reciprocal tariffs

President Donald Trump has announced a "massive" trade agreement with Japan, as stated on his platform Truth Social. Trump indicated that the two nations have agreed upon "reciprocal" tariffs of 15 percent, a reduction from his previous demand of 25 percent. This announcement reportedly led to a sharp rise in the Tokyo stock market. Trump...

Retail

Klättermusen opens first store in Osaka, Japan

Swedish mountaineering brand Klättermusen, known for its premium ready-to-wear clothing catering to expeditions, hiking, and skiing, as well as backpacks and accessories, has opened its first store in Osaka, 25 years after entering the Japanese market. Located in the heart of Shinsaibashi at 4-7-11, Minami-Semba, Chuo, the store spans 830 square...

Retail|In Pictures

In Pictures: Guess Jeans opens first Asian flagship store in Tokyo

Guess Jeans has opened its first Asian flagship store in the fashion-centric neighbourhood of Harajuku, Tokyo. The opening of the four-storey location comes as part of wider expansion plans in Japan, currently being led by director of new business, Nicolai Marciano. To celebrate this next phase of global expansion, a series of local events...

Retail

Onitsuka tiger’s winning strategy involves a boutique on the Champs-Élysées

The inauguration of the Onitsuka Tiger boutique, July 3, at 25 avenue des Champs-Élysées (Paris 8e), signals the strong performance of this fashion brand, owned by Asics Corporation (Asics). Asics, a Japanese group specialising in sporting goods and operating its own eponymous label, recently announced record sales for the first quarter of 2025,...

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Business

British Embassy in Tokyo calls for sponsors to support fashion trade event

The British Embassy in Tokyo is calling for partners and sponsors to support an event in Japan intended to welcome UK delegates from the Fashion and Luxury sector. The “showcase and reception” are being held as part of the UK at Expo programme, which is currently being held in Osaka up until October 13. UK brands are to be showcased within the...

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Business

Authentic Brands expands partnership with Boardriders Japan

Authentic Brands Group has expanded its partnership with Boardriders Japan (BRJ) to include the Volcom and Spyder brands in the region. In a statement, the New York-based brand development and licensing company said the strategic agreement builds upon its existing partnership with BRJ, which oversees the regional business for Quiksilver,...