Ashton Consulting

Japan’s leading independent corporate communications agency.

[Ashton Consulting @AshtonTokyo]

https://t.co/CgVeZxD9fE

[Ashton Consulting @AshtonTokyo]

Japan's bookstore count fell below 10,000 for the first time, dropping to 9,993 in 2025 from peak of 24,237 in 1998, driven by the rise of the internet. Despite efforts to revive bookstores, print publication sales fell below ¥1 trillion for the first time in 50 years.

[Ashton Consulting @AshtonTokyo]

https://t.co/mHKbPrfB3F

[Ashton Consulting @AshtonTokyo]

Maritime crisis communications specialist Navigate Response says maritime companies should tighten communications as Middle East tensions drive media scrutiny. Key steps: centralize messaging, appoint one spokesperson, and prioritize crew safety over visibility. [network partner]

[Ashton Consulting @AshtonTokyo]

Kagome will simplify ketchup packaging due to shortages of ink materials tied to the Middle East conflict. Calbee is also moving to monochrome snack packaging and raising prices amid tighter naphtha supply.

https://t.co/qEBMHLToY9

[Ashton Consulting @AshtonTokyo]

Foreign tourists are flocking to Tokyo for fan-equipped cooling jackets, with nearly 70% of customers now from overseas—driven by lower prices, social media buzz, and Japan’s high-quality design.

https://t.co/cbR55GZeF6

[Ashton Consulting @AshtonTokyo]

AI is breaking down legal barriers. A single mother in Japan used generative AI to successfully file a paternity case without a lawyer—reshaping what access to legal services looks like.

https://t.co/kgcYBjcCNa

[Ashton Consulting @AshtonTokyo]

Fifteen years since the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami, Japan has invested 42 trillion yen in reconstruction, but disaster-hit regions still struggle with depopulation and aging communities as national support begins to scale back. https://t.co/lyJ2ZHSF2O

[Ashton Consulting @AshtonTokyo]

Japan plans to draft guidelines on dual pricing for residents and foreign visitors at major attractions as inbound travel grows, with arrivals topping 40M in 2025. https://t.co/pbQcDYVmyp

[Ashton Consulting @AshtonTokyo]

Japan’s green tea exports, including matcha, hit a record 12,612 tons last year, with sales nearly doubling to ¥72.1B, driven by strong demand in the U.S. and Europe. But surging global demand is pushing domestic costs, prompting companies to raise prices. https://t.co/5wZUIVSrxT

[Ashton Consulting @AshtonTokyo]

https://t.co/POu5XkPEwa

[Ashton Consulting @AshtonTokyo]

Japan stocks hit record highs last week on snap-election plans, with analysts citing confidence in earnings recovery and reforms, backed by forecasts of double-digit profit growth from April. They caution, however, that weak ROE could cap further valuation gains.

[Ashton Consulting @AshtonTokyo]

Foreign workers keep Japan’s regional industries alive, but higher wages abroad are changing the equation. A Chiba cannery highlights both the human cost of migration and Japan’s struggle to remain a destination of choice.
https://t.co/4D9U9s7OFb

[Ashton Consulting @AshtonTokyo]

Is the era of "listing for status" over in Japan?

The TSE will see at least 124 delistings in 2025. The record figure comes in response to tighter listing criteria and a greater focus on long-term strategy over short-term shareholder demands.
https://t.co/pULDnsOBK8

[Ashton Consulting @AshtonTokyo]

Tokyo train operators are boosting accessibility. Following the lead of Seibu Railway and Toei Metro, Keio Corp. has adopted an initiative to designate an "open car" for those travelling with strollers and wheelchairs beginning in January.
https://t.co/x1XJGIVvOg

[Ashton Consulting @AshtonTokyo]

A record 3081 athletes from 80 countries will compete at the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics. The JFD President calls Japan holding the event for the first time a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to raise awareness and fight deep-rooted discrimination.
https://t.co/nzCXWPjfJ3
#deaflympics

[Ashton Consulting @AshtonTokyo]

Japanese troops have been deployed to its northern prefectures amid a record-high surge in bear attacks (13 deaths since April). The force will provide crucial logistical support—transporting traps, digging sites, & using drones—to assist local hunters.
https://t.co/VLEZmDkH07

[Ashton Consulting @AshtonTokyo]

Poised to become Japan's first female Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi must tread a fine line between placating her conservative base and preserving the ruling coalition required to stabilize the party and economy.
https://t.co/ClzQMh1KQK

[Ashton Consulting @AshtonTokyo]

The Nikkei 225 record high on Monday was 17% above 1989 peak bubble era.
https://t.co/odyxGXE6ss

[Ashton Consulting @AshtonTokyo]

Japan's Nikkei 225 stock index hit a record high the day after PM Shigeru Ishiba announced his resignation, breaking the 44,000 yen mark for the first time in its history
https://t.co/siV92iZTBS