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Japanese shops look in vain for Chinese customers
Source: Xinhua |
September 24, 2012, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
THE political tensions between China and Japan amid the row over the Diaoyu Islands have bit into the business of many stores in Tokyo, causing widespread worries that Japan's economy, already weighed down by global economic turbulences, could be dealt another blow.
The Ginza District, a landmark downtown area in the political and economic hub of Japan, has been reinvigorated by swarms of Chinese tourists since the mid-2000s after its sluggish performance in previous years. But it is also bearing the brunt of the recent antagonism between the two countries.
On the streets that once were brimming with a babel of dialects spoke by Chinese visitors, Chinese tourist groups are nowhere to be found now.
At a flagship cosmetics store in the district, the Chinese-speaking sales staff who were once the busiest and boasted the best sales figures now have plenty of time to kill. One shop assistant said sales had declined since August.
Besides sales staff who can speak fluent Chinese, price tags and product descriptions are in Japanese and Chinese and China UnionPay cards are accepted. A manager in charge of public relations said the number of Chinese customers had dropped significantly.
"Though the decrease in Chinese guests did not devastate our business, the picture in the near future is not rosy as many Chinese are boycotting Japanese products at the moment," he said.
"There is really not much we can do about it. We can just hope for an early return of Chinese guests," he added.
"After all, it is normal for Chinese and Japanese to hold different attitudes. To maintain mutual respect and understanding is the most important thing."
A store selling famous-brand bags opposite the cosmetics shop was also popular with Chinese customers. But its manager, Koichi Miwa, said sales figures for this month are dismal.
"I saw on TV angry Chinese staged mass protests in many Chinese cities. The scale is out of our expectation," he said, noting that he had forecast the upcoming National Day of China could prop up their bottom line, but "in light of what is taking place right now, it won't happen."
The Ginza District, a landmark downtown area in the political and economic hub of Japan, has been reinvigorated by swarms of Chinese tourists since the mid-2000s after its sluggish performance in previous years. But it is also bearing the brunt of the recent antagonism between the two countries.
On the streets that once were brimming with a babel of dialects spoke by Chinese visitors, Chinese tourist groups are nowhere to be found now.
At a flagship cosmetics store in the district, the Chinese-speaking sales staff who were once the busiest and boasted the best sales figures now have plenty of time to kill. One shop assistant said sales had declined since August.
Besides sales staff who can speak fluent Chinese, price tags and product descriptions are in Japanese and Chinese and China UnionPay cards are accepted. A manager in charge of public relations said the number of Chinese customers had dropped significantly.
"Though the decrease in Chinese guests did not devastate our business, the picture in the near future is not rosy as many Chinese are boycotting Japanese products at the moment," he said.
"There is really not much we can do about it. We can just hope for an early return of Chinese guests," he added.
"After all, it is normal for Chinese and Japanese to hold different attitudes. To maintain mutual respect and understanding is the most important thing."
A store selling famous-brand bags opposite the cosmetics shop was also popular with Chinese customers. But its manager, Koichi Miwa, said sales figures for this month are dismal.
"I saw on TV angry Chinese staged mass protests in many Chinese cities. The scale is out of our expectation," he said, noting that he had forecast the upcoming National Day of China could prop up their bottom line, but "in light of what is taking place right now, it won't happen."
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