Selling in Japan is different from selling in Europe or America. The distribution circuit is characteristic, with some barriers for imported products. Because of its sorts of tangled model, distribution in Japan has been misunderstood by other countries, leading to some trade problems and disputes. The model is changing, but the number of ‘mom-and-pop’ (speciality or semi-speciality) stores remains bigger than elsewhere, with around 373 thousand stores according to Statista (in 2014). So what does the distribution look like in Japan now? Stores in Japan There are three main types of stores, if we except the (semi-)speciality ones. Merchandise Stores (GMS) マーチャンダイズストアmaachandaizu stoa They specialize in ‘groceries, perishables, clothing, household…