Apparel Online Bangladesh Magazine Magazine April 2018 | Page 15

COVER STORY
apparel, men’s apparel, sportswear
and swimwear, underwear and
hosiery, leather clothes, baby clothes,
gloves, etc., in the in-scope product
categories while bracketing work
clothes, handbags, ski suits, etc., in
the out of-scope segment.
FA C T S
Tax structure & must-have
traits
Japan is open to imported apparel
and doesn’t have significant tariff
or non-tariff barriers to imported
clothing. As far as Bangladesh is
concerned, apparel shipments to
Japan began after the adoption
of ‘China Plus One’ policy by the
Japanese government in 2008 to
reduce overdependence on China.
The ‘China Plus One’ policy was
supplemented by the relaxation of the
Rules of Origin by Japan for Least
Developed Countries (LDCs), as part
of which garment manufacturers
from Bangladesh have been enjoying
zero-duty benefit (even if the raw
materials are imported).
However, to taste success in Japan,
suppliers need to ensure that best
practices in terms of communication,
shipping and quality parameters are
followed to the T. As per industry
experts, foreign companies supplying
to Japanese brands and retailers
need to respond quickly with timely
shipments and deliver products that
are not only of high-quality but those
which also maintain strict accuracy
in terms of sizes and styles. On-
time delivery, in particular, is a very
important aspect while supplying to
Japan as most Japanese retailers
reportedly start selling Spring items
in early February and start bargain
sales in early July for the Summer
season. They sell Fall/Winter items
Mohammed Nasir, Vice President (Finance),
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters
Association (BGMEA)
from late July and start bargain sales
in early January. Delayed delivery as
such amounts to significant loss for
the importers/ retailers who cannot
sell the products at expected/regular
prices.
In terms of quality, experts
underlined that Japanese end-users,
being some of the most demanding
customers globally, are not ready to
compromise even on minor defects
that can very well pass off with
customers in other parts of the world.
What’s more worrying is that if a
Japanese consumer discovers defects
after purchase, he/she would not only
demand refund on the purchase made
but the chances are also very high
that he/she may not buy that brand
ever again in future.
Apart from these, business success in
Japan also depends to a great degree
on how well-conversant one is with
the Japanese culture and business
etiquettes and to what extent one
The second
biggest apparel
exporter
globally,
Bangladesh is
yet to mark its
dominance in
Japan. In 2017,
Bangladesh
exported 196.8
million kg of
apparels to
Japan valued
at 96.2 billion
Yen (US $ 908
million) as
compared to
213.1 million kg
in 2016, valued
at 98.2 billion
Yen (US $ 927
million).
follows the same. Hinging primarily
on two vital aspects of politeness
and good manners, one needs to
understand that cultural elements
can have a profound impact on
decision-making and effectiveness of
a business relationship while dealing
with a Japanese client. Any brash
or abrasive behaviour is not taken
very well by the Japanese people,
resulting in a lack of trust–a vital
aspect for any business deal.
ASEAN at the forefront
As per a report by the Japan Textiles’
Importers Association (based on
Ministry of Finance trade statistics),
the country’s imports from ASEAN
countries grew by over 3 per cent in
2017 as compared to the previous
y