Ikea, the Swedish furniture giant, envisions a global expansion into urban areas. It plans to open multiple stores in central Tokyo and eventually expand into Osaka, Ikea Japan K.K. President Helene von Reis said in an interview with The Japan News in Tokyo on Wednesday.
"Tokyo is so big, of course one shop is not enough. We will do many shops in Tokyo," the company's Japan chief explained. "Then we will move into Osaka. We have to start first and understand how this works in Tokyo." Earlier in the day, she said at a press conference, "We are working very hard to find the right sites in Tokyo ... hopefully I will be able to give you some good news before this year is over."
Ikea has previously prioritized large stores in Japan, opening one such outlet in Nagakute, Aichi Prefecture, last year. It also recognizes that consumer preferences are changing.
"Consumers are demanding accessibility and the value of time. It is also a fact that young people don't have cars. That's also a global [phenomenon]," she said, also citing online shopping as one of the contributing factors to the phenomenon.
She emphasized that Ikea wants to play an important role in realizing work-life balance in Japan. "The work-life balance discussion actually helps the home ... be a more important place for Japanese people. There is a lot in that for potential growth in the home furnishings market in Japan."
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