Clothing stores, electronics retailers and izakaya pub chains in Tokyo are stepping up efforts to attract middle-class Chinese tourists, offering products and menus at reasonable prices.
Previously, these business operators focused on meeting the demands of wealthy Chinese visitors. They are now targeting the Chinese middle class, however, as an increasing number of Chinese began visiting this country after the Japanese government relaxed visa requirements for individual Chinese tourists in September.
Casual clothing retailer Gap Japan K.K. will open its first Old Navy store, the firm’s low-priced brand, in the Odaiba district of Tokyo this summer.
As Odaiba is a popular sightseeing spot for Chinese tourists, the company expects many Chinese shoppers to visit the store.
The Yurakucho branch of electronics chain Bic Camera Inc. increased the number of low-priced products at an outlet located next to the main store in mid-February. Chinese tourists usually come to the store after visiting Ginza.
Previously, high-priced products such as big-screen TVs sold well among Chinese customers.
Recently, however, lower-priced items, such as beauty products for women and electronic toothbrushes, have increased in popularity, store officials said.
Izakaya pub chains are also heavily targeting Chinese customers.
In November, the Yoronotaki chain created a booklet called the “izakaya rule book,” which explains a variety of terms used in an izakaya pub, such as “otoshi” and “ippon-jime,” alongside Chinese-language menus.
Otoshi is an small appetizer served as soon as a customer sits down in a Japanese pub, while ippon-jime is when everyone claps their hands at a gathering.
The booklet was distributed to five Yoronotaki outlets in Ikebukuro and other areas where a large number of Chinese tourists stay overnight.
“We believe Chinese visitors will definitely come to visit reasonably priced izakaya pubs,” said a Yoronotaki official, explaining the company’s reason for targeting Chinese tourists.
In the case of the Hokkaido izakaya chain run by leading restaurant operator Colowide Co., sales to Chinese customers account for about 30 per cent of the total volume at some outlets.
With this in mind, the company will take into account popular sightseeing routes among Chinese tourists when deciding where to open new restaurants.
In the wake of the Great East Japan Earthquake, the number of Chinese tourists dropped significantly.
In September, however, occupational requirements for the issuance of individual visas were removed for Chinese visitors coming to Japan. Initially, the individual sightseeing visa was only issued to high-income earners, such as top government officials and company executives.
“Unlike wealthy tourists, who use credit cards issued under corporate names, middle-class visitors pay their own bills, so they won’t order extremely expensive dishes,” a Colowide official said.
Restaurant operators and others are continuing to search for ways to offer satisfactory services at reasonable prices to Chinese visitors.
