Exploring Industry Development Trends Through the Strategic Positioning of Major E-Commerce Players in Japan
Thanks to steady growth in e-commerce penetration, industry advancement driven by the evolution of generative AI, and the contribution of cross-border e-commerce and local policies to the development of the market, the Japanese e-commerce market, which ranks among the world's top 5 in scale and is approximately ten times larger than Taiwan's, continues to exhibit stable growth. The "F.A.S.T." (Fintech First, AI in E-Commerce, Safe & Secure Shopping, and Trading & Transformation) trend emerging from how major Japanese e-commerce players - including Amazon Japan, Rakuten, and LY Corporation - adapt to market changes and maintain their operational and growth objectives can serve as a valuable reference for e-commerce players worldwide when it comes to future strategic planning. This report examines the trends in the e-commerce industry through the lens of the Japanese market environment and the strategic layouts of Japan’s top three e-commerce retailers.
- 1. Environmental Issues in the Japanese E-commerce Market
- 1.1 The Japanese E-commerce Market Ranks Fifth Globally with Steady Development
- 1.2 Japan’s E-commerce Penetration and Mobile Commerce Market Grows Annually
- 1.3 Influence of Generative AI Spreads in Japan’s E-commerce Market
- 1.4 Free Trade Agreements Boost Japan's Economy While Benefiting Cross-border E-commerce
- 1.5 Japanese Government Policies Enhance E-commerce Transparency, Fairness, and Product Safety
- 2. Strategic Deployment of Major Japanese E-commerce Players
- 2.1 Amazon Japan
- 2.1.1 Supplementary Businesses Drive Revenue Growth, Contributing to Steady Market Expansion in Japan
- 2.1.2 Integrating AI into Supply-Demand Processes and Fraud Prevention, While Expanding the Category 1 Pharmaceutical Market
- 2.1.3 Enhancing Payment Diversity and Logistics Flexibility; Simplifying Packaging to Increase Delivery Quantities
- 2.1.4 Assisting Small-Medium Merchants in Exporting Japanese-Made Products Globally
- 2.2 Rakuten
- 2.2.1 FinTech Services like Payments Spearhead Revenue Growth
- 2.2.2 Optimize External Marketing Experiences and Internal Operations Using AI While Enhancing Product Transparency
- 2.2.3 Combining Diverse Payment and Logistics Services to Enhance Rakuten and Partners' OMO Strategies
- 2.2.4 Providing Support for Opening Online Stores and Joining Partner Platforms to Expand Cross-border Reach
- 2.3 LY Corporation
- 2.3.1 Revenue Growth Mainly Driven by the FinTech-oriented Strategy Department
- 2.3.2 Implementing AI in Existing Operations While Expanding into the Online Healthcare and Pharmaceutical Markets
- 2.3.3 Aligning with Corporate Integration Strategies While Focusing on Leveraging Cash Flow and Logistics for Cross-Business Synergies
- 3. MIC Perspective
- 3.1 Steady Growth in the Japanese E-commerce Market as Major Players Expand Rapidly
- 3.2 E-commerce Operators Can Learn from the F.A.S.T. Trend
- Appendix
- List of Companies
- List of Tables
- Table 1: E-commerce Market Size in Japan by Sector, 2020 - 2022
- Table 2: Amazon Revenue by Business Segment, 2021 - 1H 2023
- Table 3: Amazon Revenue by Market, 2020 - 2022
- Table 4: Rakuten Revenue by Business Segment, 2021 - 1H 2023
- Table 5: LY Corporation Revenue by Business Segment, 2021 - 1H 2023
- Table 6: Transaction Value of LY Corporation's Commerce Business Segment, 2021 - 1H 2023
- Table 7: Operational Performance and Recent Focus Areas of Major Japanese E-commerce Players
- List of Figures
- Figure 1: Global E-commerce Market Size and Annual Growth Rate in 2022
- Figure 2: Product Sales Sectors in the Japanese E-commerce Market and Mobile Commerce Market Size, 2018 - 2022
- Figure 3: Cross-border E-commerce Market Size between Japan, the US, and China in 2022
- Figure 4: Top 5 Countries by Total Value of Global Imports and Exports in 2022
- Figure 5: Revenue and Annual Growth Rate of Major Japanese E-commerce Players in 2022
- Figure 6: Rakuten's Business Segments and Services
- Figure 7: LY Corporation's Business Segments and Services
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