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What American or other foreign store would you like to see in Japan?

mogosch

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31 Jul 2017
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Hello there,
I work here in Tokyo and my boss gave me like some homework.
he asked me, what foreign store might come to Japan? or what is an interesting foreign store?
you know he wants some foreign tenants for his building here in Tokyo.

What would you like to see in Japan more?

Would be nice if you can help me with that.
I just need some ideas.

Thanks.
 
None of them are going to make the step of opening a Japan branch just because your boss has some space he can't find a tenant for.
 
Hey Mike Cash,
that's not true he has some possible tenants for the building. But he doesn't want to put an another Donkihote in it or some other boring Japanese store. He wants something foreign you know.
 
It would have been good to have voting booths here last November...

Some of them labelled Wisconsin, some Michigan, some Pennsylvania, and so on.
 
I think the question is very broad and will get very general answers as a result. A lot of it depends on companies willing and able to put an office in Tokyo. Also just saying foreign tenants is very vague there are a lot of nations out there that aren't Japan. I mean that could be anything from a kebab shop to a New York upstate style fashion shop. It's going to depend on the atmosphere of the building which will be hard to judge if we haven't been to the building.
 
It is a pointless question any way you look at it and the owner strikes me as something of an idjit if this is seriously his idea of how to go about finding a tenant.

What the hell are we supposed to answer without knowing even the location or how much space we're talking about?

Does he really think that any company contemplating expanding to Japan is just holding back waiting for a landlord to offer them some space? Or that contacting a company not contemplating expanding to Japan is going to suddenly go just because some guy contacts them and offers to rent them space?

It is hard to believe anyone owning buildings big enough to put a Donkihote into is seriously looking for tenants in such an asinine way as this and that he is essentially turning down Japanese tenants who would otherwise be moving into his building and generating revenue for him while he is looking for foreign tenants with no connection to Japan just because he thinks it would be interesting.
 
my bad sorry if my question sounded like I want you people to find me, tenants.
I just wanted to know what people would like to see here in Japan?
so I could add the answers to my research.
and Sorry Mike Cash if I offended you, I don't think you are an idjit.
your idea of a drive in is interesting and I think I have not really seen something like it here in Japan.
If you want to know the location it's the Maghreb East Building in Tama Center. 4 floors to rent in future. The 4th floor to the 7th.
It's 1062,42 Tsubo or 3512,09 m2.
clinic01.jpg


the area is kinda country side, there are trains and there is a lot of parking spaces.
But people move more by car than train around there.
why we want something different and foreign is because we want to attract people to come to the place because of the difference.
We don't really like the idea of normalness.
normal is boring and we have seen enough of the same stuff here in Japan.

Anyway just wanted some ideas of what people would like to see,
No need to be a Dick about it.
 
Being a dick is gratuitous.

So the idea really is that you give him the names of some businesses who don't operate in Japan and then he will contact them and offer to rent them space in his building?

Let us know how that works out.
 
The only companies I can think of off the top of my head would be large American corporations. Which either will already be in Japan or will likely not move to Japan if they aren't. One American place that I really enjoy to eat at that I have seen in Japan is Hard Rock Cafe. I haven't eaten there in Japan but if they would be willing to move into the building they're certainly a great place to eat here in America.
 
We don't really like the idea of normalness.
normal is boring and we have seen enough of the same stuff here in Japan.

I don't think your boss has thought this through. Most people just don't think like that. Elderly people don't, and there are lots of those in Japan. Parents don't (and Tama is a popular area for families from what I understand, with it being within commuting distance from Tokyo and having affordable housing) - they're more interested in affordable goods and services and a good and safe environment to bring up their children. If you're a child, that is probably enough excitement as it is, with so many things still being new.
So you're left with the 18-30 age group or maybe 18-35 age group, with people in Japan growing up rather late.
Those that have time and disposable income (plenty don't) are going to go to Shibuya, Harajuku and all the other places relentlessly promoted by overexcited people on the television. when they are tired of normal. Tama can't compete.

Really, your boss sounds like one of those provincial city politicians in Japan who are obsessed with getting their place on the map by, for example, by inventing some 'famous' local food, instead of concentrating on improving the lives of the residents who pay their salaries.

For what it's worth, I'd like to see discount European supermarkets such as Aldi.
 
We don't really like the idea of normalness.
normal is boring and we have seen enough of the same stuff here in Japan.

I don't think your boss has thought this through. Most people just don't think like that. Elderly people don't, and there are lots of those in Japan. Parents don't (and Tama is a popular area for families from what I understand, with it being within commuting distance from Tokyo and having affordable housing) - they're more interested in affordable goods and services and a good and safe environment to bring up their children. If you're a child, that is probably enough excitement as it is, with so many things still being new.
So you're left with the 18-30 age group or maybe 18-35 age group, with people in Japan growing up rather late.
Those that have time and disposable income (plenty don't) are going to go to Shibuya, Harajuku and all the other places relentlessly promoted by overexcited people on the television. when they are tired of normal. Tama can't compete.

Really, your boss sounds like one of those provincial city politicians in Japan who are obsessed with getting their place on the map by, for example, by inventing some 'famous' local food, instead of concentrating on improving the lives of the residents who pay their salaries.

For what it's worth, I'd like to see discount European supermarkets such as Aldi.

Yea people are pretty simple I guess.
And yes as you kinda said, it has to be a cheap store to succeed in this area. Tama is country side and will never compete with places like Harajuku, Shibuya, Shinjuku and so on, that sounds fair and true.
Cheap it must be!
we do run the cheapest super market in Tama Center already, giving back to the people I guess, the Farmers' Market Chitoseya it's cheap like Aldi, if you ever have the chance to go to Tama Center for grocery shopping come by and have a look.
It's located on the first floor of the Maghreb East building.
 
I think it's smart to figure out how to try to make his building a destination that will draw more people. It may or may not work out but why not try to think outside the box. Asking a few gaijin that live in Japan probably won't give you any great ideas but you never know. You're right about one thing. There's no need for more Don Quixotes.

- Aldi or something like that may have potential as Lothor said
- I was surprised to see Krispy Kreme in Japan a few years ago and still there now I think, especially since the Krispy Kreme fad in the U.S. died 10+ years ago.
- Hooters is in Japan now for better or for worse.
- Something like Kidzania could give you a unique draw
- a Lego store; the newly opened Legoland in Nagoya could feed into momentum for Lego stores. You could recruit the first one to Tama.
- Something that feeds off of the Olympic hype. How about a Planet Fitness. Your boss or his friends could be the first franchisee in Japan.
 
Being a dick is gratuitous.

So the idea really is that you give him the names of some businesses who don't operate in Japan and then he will contact them and offer to rent them space in his building?

Let us know how that works out.

Yea kinda like that.
Sounds pretty smart right?
Just call them up and ask if they want to rent some space?
I will keep you updated.
 
Tho it looks like you don't have enough space for it, or if you could handle the numbers, but you never know. Try to make something like the Exploratorium - Wikipedia and feed a lot of school-aged kids thru it.

Personally, I think this is an idea waiting to happen (for Japan, or some municipality). There are all kinds of themed museums and exhibits, this could be a kind of science fair for all. I think it could be a draw for middle and even primary students--better than going to a dolphin show or Hiroshima for a school trip. And it'd dovetail with the "summer research project" that most all students do.
 
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