COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
Fast Retailing and Shimamura lead with innovative strategies
Womenswear in Japan is moderately concentrated, with the top two companies, Fast Retailing Co Ltd (Uniqlo) and Shimamura Co Ltd, together accounting for more than a quarter of retail value sales. In 2025, Fast Retailing held a 17% share, while Shimamura held 9%.
Strategic acquisition to enhance operational efficiency and innovation
A significant merger occurred at the end of 2024, when World Co Ltd acquired Mitsubishi Corporation Fashion Co Ltd, renaming it MC Fashion Co Ltd in February 2025. This acquisition is expected to strengthen World Co Ltd's position in the apparel industry, particularly in womenswear.
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Overview:
Understand the latest market trends and future growth opportunities for the Womenswear industry in Japan with research from Euromonitor International's team of in-country analysts – experts by industry and geographic specialisation.
Key trends are clearly and succinctly summarised alongside the most current research data available. Understand and assess competitive threats and plan corporate strategy with our qualitative analysis, insight and confident growth projections.
If you're in the Womenswear industry in Japan, our research will help you to make informed, intelligent decisions; to recognise and profit from opportunity, or to offer resilience amidst market uncertainty.
The Womenswear in Japan report includes:
- Analysis of key supply-side and demand trends
- Detailed segmentation of international and local products
- Historic volume and value sizes, company and brand market shares
- Five year forecasts of market trends and market growth
- Robust and transparent research methodology, conducted in-country
This report answers:
- What is the market size of Womenswear in Japan?
- Which are the leading brands in Japan?
- How are products distributed in Japan?
- How is the rise of e-commerce shaping demand?
- What % of apparel and footwear sales are made via grocery retailers?
- Do consumers want premium quality or fast fashion?
- How will COVID-19 and recession impact demand?
- How important is sustainability in Womenswear in Japan?
- Where is future growth expected to be most dynamic?
Womenswear in Japan - Category analysis
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Functional textiles and rising number of working women contribute to growth
Growth seen for womenswear in 2025, with several key growth drivers
Resale and rental services gain traction among professionals, impacting primary sales
Technological advancements drive innovation in functional textiles
Inbound tourism drives demand for localised and exclusive womenswear
The rising working female population will drive demand for professional attire
Technology expected to reshape womenswear
K-fashion and personal expression set to drive growth
Fast Retailing and Shimamura lead with innovative strategies
Strategic acquisition to enhance operational efficiency and innovation
Offline retail remains dominant as consumers still value tactile experiences
E-commerce poses moderate competition to offline stores
Apparel and Footwear in Japan - Industry Overview
Inbound tourism, tech innovation, and experiential retail drive growth in apparel and footwear
Tourism, functional products, and sports events fuel growth despite challenges
Apparel dominates, but footwear and sportswear see greater dynamism
Inbound tourism drives growth, with Onitsuka Tiger a standout brand
Tech innovation drives growth in functional fashion to address warmer summers
Growth set to continue, with collaborations an important driving force
Functionality, sustainable practices and changing culture likely to impact growth
Fast Retailing and Shimamura lead through wide distribution and strong brand recognition
LVMH-backed investment firm acquires Kapital, signalling shift towards niche Japanese labels
Offline retail remains dominant as many consumers prefer to try before buying
TikTok Shop set to accelerate growth in retail e-commerce
COUNTRY REPORTS DISCLAIMER
The following categories and subcategories are included:
Womenswear
- Women's Nightwear
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- Economy Women's Jeans
- Standard Women's Jeans
- Premium Women's Jeans
- Super Premium Women's Jeans
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- Women's Dresses
- Women's Jackets and Coats
- Women's Jumpers
- Women's Leggings
- Women's Shirts and Blouses
- Women's Shorts and Trousers
- Women's Skirts
- Women's Suits
- Women's Tops
- Other Women's Outerwear
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- Women's Swimwear
- Women's Underwear
Womenswear
This is the aggregation of women's outerwear and women's underwear, nightwear and swimwear.
See all of our definitionsWhy buy this report?
- Gain competitive intelligence about market leaders
- Track key industry trends, opportunities and threats
- Inform your marketing, brand, strategy and market development, sales and supply functions
This report originates from Passport, our Womenswear research and analysis database.
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