Fair Trade Market in Japan

By

Acknowledgement

I would take this opportunity to thank my research supervisor, family and friends for their support and guidance without which this research would not have been possible.

DECLARATION

I, [type your full first names and surname here], declare that the contents of this dissertation/thesis represent my own unaided work, and that the dissertation/thesis has not previously been submitted for academic examination towards any qualification. Furthermore, it represents my own opinions and not necessarily those of the University.

Signed __________________ Date _________________

Abstract

This paper examines why Fair Trade market in Japan expands only slowly, while it grows rapidly in many other developed countries. In order to promote worldwide growth of Fair Trade market, it is necessary to study why Fair Trade movements have not taken off in some countries. This paper first reveals the distant relation between citizens and international development NGOs. Due to poor sales and insufficient donations, many Japanese NGOs selling Fair Trade products have had no choice but to close down. However, some of them have successfully increased the sales of Fair Trade products. The reason of the scarcity of support from citizens towards NGOs are explained by unique attitude of Japanese towards helping others and gift giving which has been influenced by mixed religious beliefs. The result indicates that Japanese cultural background is not an ideal condition to develop positive attitudes towards helping others and the culture of pure gift giving. The result also indicates that in order to attract customres to Fair Trade products are sold by those NGOs without the certified mark, the increase in sales cannot be expected without close relations between citizens and NGOs. Because Japanese are less interested in helping others and spending extra amount for social features, it is unlikely that customers will change their consumer behaviour even if they are fully informed of the virtue of Fair Trade products.

Table of Contents

ABSTRACTIV

1. INTRODUCTIONVI

2. LITERATURE REVIEWIX

3. OVERVIEW OF JAPAN'S FAIR TRADE MARKETXV

4. JAPANESE NGOS AND SUPPORT FROM CITIZENSXX

5. CULTURAL ELEMENTSXXIII

Gift giving culture in Japanxxiv

6. PROSPECT FOR EXPANSION OF JAPANESE FAIR TRADE MARKETXXVIII

7. CONCLUSIONXXXI

1. Introduction

Fair Trade market is growing rapidly in many countries in the world. Researchers have been conducted to identify factors in causing the growth as well as development phases of Fair Trade market. However, fewer efforts have been made to find out the reason why Fair Trade market grows only slowly in some countries. In order to promote worldwide growth of Fair Trade market, it is necessary to pay more attention to the countries where Fair Trade has not taken off.

Japan is one of the countries where Fair Trade remains marginal. This is not simply because Japan lacks the elements which cause positive effects in the growth of Fair Trade market. To take an instance, one of the identified elements, the dissemination of the Internet happened more rapidly and widely in Japan than in the UK. In this globalised world where people are exposed to the same information at the same time, a trend emerged in one country tends to spread ...