Japan: Abe’s arrows still on target

Japanese consumers are set to get something sweet this Christmas. Chocolatier Hotel Chocolat (HOTC) opened its first store in Japan in late November – just in time for holiday trading. The store can be found in the Aeon Lake Town shopping mall in Tokyo, the largest mall in Japan. Chief executive Angus Thirlwell said the store’s first day of trading had been “hugely encouraging”, with customer engagement, media attention and sales performance “all well ahead of expectations”. The sweets retailer is now looking at ways to further roll out the Hotel Chocolat brand in Japan.