Global Demand for Japanese Products Opens New Doors

Jun 22, 2025 | News On Japan

OSAKA - In Kobe, a company that has been processing and selling kelp for over 60 years has begun exporting its products overseas as domestic consumption declines. The company turned to a service called ZenPlus, a platform that sells overlooked Japanese products to global customers. ZenPlus offers over 9 million items across 175 countries, charging a 10% commission only when a sale is made.

Operated by ZenGroup, where roughly half of the employees are foreign nationals, the company was co-founded by Slovey, who is originally from Ukraine. ZenGroup helps small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) develop new markets by introducing Japanese products to the world, and the kelp company has successfully expanded its sales through this service.

As domestic demand for kelp has fallen, long-standing specialty kelp shops have been closing one after another, forcing companies to explore new opportunities. Through ZenPlus, which features everything from Kyoto matcha to anime merchandise, Japanese sellers have found overseas buyers, with matcha, for example, selling well in about 20 countries, mainly in the United States. Sellers incur no upfront costs, only paying a 10% system fee on successful sales.

At ZenGroup's office, where foreign staff members work under residence statuses such as technical, humanities, and international services visas, the atmosphere reflects its global reach. Slovey, who graduated from a university in Ukraine and later studied in Japan, started the company with fellow Ukrainian and Russian students. He said that seeing the international interest in Japanese products like sweets, tea, and even electronics inspired the business idea.

Initially, ZenGroup focused on purchasing products on behalf of overseas residents and shipping them abroad, with anime figures and related goods becoming especially popular. The company has attracted 2.7 million registered users, generating a total distribution volume of 15.3 billion yen.

In 2016, ZenGroup launched ZenPlus to actively source unique Japanese products, partnering with local chambers of commerce to discover items with potential appeal overseas. For the kelp business, extensive discussions were held on how to effectively promote products to foreign buyers who may not even recognize kelp as food. The company devised ways to clearly explain how to use and cook with kelp, including Instagram posts and product pages with QR codes that link to usage instructions in multiple languages.

"Many companies want to expand their perspective globally. Discovering that their products are actually in demand abroad is a valuable realization," a ZenGroup representative said. "Even if small businesses don't know how to start selling overseas, we provide them with the opportunity to see that it is possible."

Currently, Japan's e-commerce exports account for only about 5% of total e-commerce sales. However, many see significant potential for SMEs to grow by tapping into global demand, creating new opportunities for Japanese businesses facing a shrinking domestic market.

Source: Television OSAKA NEWS

Toyota to Launch Self-Driving Taxis in 2027

Toyota Motor will begin operating fully autonomous taxis in 2027 through a partnership with U.S. self-driving technology company Waymo, marking a major step in the Japanese automaker's efforts to expand driverless transportation services.

Mount Fuji Puts on First Snowcap

Mount Fuji has received its first snowcap of the season, the Japan Meteorological Agency announced on October 30, after temperatures at the summit plunged to minus 9.4 degrees Celsius, marking the arrival of winter conditions on Japan's highest mountain.

Chinese Female Spy Suspected of Targeting Nvidia Chief

U.S. intelligence agencies suspect that a Chinese female intelligence operative developed a close relationship with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang in an attempt to obtain confidential corporate and U.S. government information, according to a report published by The New York Times on October 29th.

Japan Blocks Websites Leaking GMO Personal Data

The Japanese government has asked major telecommunications operators to forcibly block access to websites believed to contain personal information stolen in a cyberattack on GMO, it emerged on October 29th, as authorities moved to prevent further exposure of sensitive data online.

Typhoon No. 31 Heads Toward Japan's Remote Islands

Typhoon No. 31 was located near Minamitorishima Island in the Pacific Ocean, as of 3 a.m. on October 30, and was expected to approach the Ogasawara Islands south of Tokyo over the October 31-November 1 weekend while maintaining very strong intensity, bringing a growing risk of dangerously high waves, powerful swells and extremely rough seas.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Business NEWS

Cyberattacks Hit Muji, Matsuya, ANA and Foreign Ministry

A series of cyberattacks has exposed millions of personal records belonging to customers of major Japanese companies, including Muji, Matsuya and All Nippon Airways, as well as individuals connected to the Foreign Ministry, while cybersecurity experts investigating a separate attack involving GMO say a serious mistake by the hackers may provide crucial clues to their identities.

World's Largest Nitori Store Opens in Osaka

Japan's furniture and home goods retailer Nitori opened what it describes as its largest store in the world on October 30th in Osaka's Chayamachi district, bringing a major new retail destination to an area east of Hankyu Osaka-Umeda Station known for its youth culture, fashion boutiques, and specialty shops.

Japan Stocks Plunge 1,369 Points as AI Selloff Hits Tokyo

Japan's Nikkei 225 Stock Average plunged 1,369.36 points, or 2.12%, to close at 63,290.11 at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, October 30, ending a three-day winning streak as a sharp selloff in semiconductor and artificial intelligence-related shares swept through the Tokyo market, while the Bank of Japan's decision to leave interest rates unchanged failed to restore investor confidence.

BOJ Says Underlying Inflation Has Effectively Reached 2% Target for First Time

The Bank of Japan announced on October 30th that underlying inflation has effectively reached its 2% target for the first time since the goal was introduced in 2013, marking a major milestone in the country's efforts to achieve sustained price growth, while keeping its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 1.25% as policymakers assess the impact of last month's rate increase.

Halloween Costume Prices Double in Five Years

Halloween celebrations across Japan are becoming increasingly expensive as October 31 approaches, with costume prices nearly doubling over the past five years and the average spending budget rising to 8,148 yen, prompting more people to find creative ways to enjoy the annual event without stretching their finances.

Hands Shibuya to Close After 48 Years

Hands Shibuya, one of Tokyo's best-known variety stores, will close on November 15 after 48 years in business, bringing an end to a shopping destination famous for its enormous selection of innovative household goods, stationery and unusual gadgets, with around 100,000 products still filling its shelves in the final weeks before closure.

Japan Stocks Rise for Third Day as Nikkei Reclaims 64,000

Tokyo stocks extended their recovery on Thursday, October 29, with the Nikkei 225 closing at 64,659.47 points at 3:30 p.m., up 705.28 points, or 1.10%, from the previous session, as renewed buying of semiconductor and artificial intelligence-related shares helped the benchmark record its third consecutive daily gain ahead of the Bank of Japan's monetary policy decision.

GMO Offers 150 Million Yen Reward to Identify Cyberattackers

GMO has announced a reward totaling approximately 150 million yen for information leading to the identification of hackers responsible for a cyberattack on its systems, while also pledging compensation to customers whose personal information has been exposed, as Japan faces a growing wave of cyberattacks targeting major companies.

< 2 3 4 5 >