News On Japan

Muji debuts on Amazon to reach cooped-up shoppers

May 02 (Nikkei) - Japan's Ryohin Keikaku on Friday began selling products from its Muji chain of no-frills home-goods stores via Amazon.com for the first time, broadening its sales channels as the coronavirus outbreak shuts down many of its domestic locations.

The lineup of 250 or so items is heavy on categories such as cosmetics, storage containers and kitchenware to appeal to shoppers stuck at home. It includes such customer favorites as the Clear Care skincare line and polypropylene plastic storage boxes.

About 280 of the roughly 440 Muji locations in Japan were temporarily closed as of Friday, with many others running on reduced hours.

While Ryohin Keikaku has its own online store, selling through Amazon, with its massive established user base, lets the company attract consumers who would not otherwise seek it out.

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

Ishiba Shigeru has been elected leader of Japan's main ruling Liberal Democratic Party. The former LDP Secretary-General is now virtually assured of becoming the next prime minister. (NHK)

The Hakamada case, a decades-long legal struggle, ended with an acquittal for Iwao Hakamada (88), who, along with his sister Hideko, fought for 58 years. Hakamada was suspected of the 1966 murder of a miso company executive’s family.

A Japanese government information-gathering satellite has successfully been put into a planned orbit around Earth. (NHK)

Japan's National Police Agency is introducing new patrol cars equipped with red lights designed to assist people with hearing impairments, flashing differently depending on whether the vehicle is on an emergency run or a routine patrol.

Yamagata University, which has been conducting research on the Nazca geoglyphs in Peru, announced the discovery of over 300 new geoglyphs, depicting a variety of subjects, including humans and animals.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Society NEWS

Four Japanese men have been caught at an Australian airport on suspicion of trying to smuggle a large amount of cigarettes into the country. (NHK)

Japan's National Police Agency is introducing new patrol cars equipped with red lights designed to assist people with hearing impairments, flashing differently depending on whether the vehicle is on an emergency run or a routine patrol.

The former representative of the martial arts event company 'Breaking Down,' Yugo Itagaki, along with two other individuals, has been arrested by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police on charges of defrauding a company executive out of 80 million yen.

Strange incidents involving a woman placing black tape on outlets have been occurring around zoos in the Izu area of Shizuoka Prefecture.

As the number of households with Buddhist altars continues to decline, largely due to space limitations in modern housing, wholesalers of Buddhist goods are struggling with unsold inventory.

Twelve individuals involved in the traditional 'Ageuma Shinji' horse event held last year at Tado Shrine in Kuwana City, Mie Prefecture, have been referred to prosecutors on allegations of violent behavior toward horses, including forcing them up steep slopes.

A 39-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attacking a female university student by covering her head with a bag and attempting to strangle her.

A group of Humboldt penguins at Tokuyama Zoo in Yamaguchi Prefecture has captured people's hearts, as they chase a butterfly that had accidentally flown into their pool enclosure.