MARKET INTELLIGENCE PEARL REPORT | 38 | 2022-2023 The evolution Japan’s pearl sector 日本珍珠产业的革新之路 Leading stakeholders in Japan’s pearl industry are implementing increasingly inventive and dynamic business models to sustain its global edge. 日本珍珠产业的持份者采取更创新和主动的营商模式， 以维持该国在全球的竞争力。 Japan’s pearl industry – a pillar of the country’s gem and jewellery sector – is ripe for fresh beginnings. Creating new demand, making inroads in unchartered business territories and further raising the profile of Japanese pearls in the global market are at the forefront of new initiatives. Market developments Unprecedented challenges call for innovation and transformation, according to George Kakuda, CEO of Kakuda Pearl Co Ltd and newly appointed chairman of the Japan Pearl Exporters Association (JPEA). At the height of Covid-19 in 2020 when travel restrictions and lockdowns were most stringent, pearl companies witnessed a revolution of sorts in the trade: Buying and selling of pearls online. According to Kakuda, this was considered unthinkable pre-pandemic. “We used to believe one must touch, feel and see the pearl to appreciate its beauty before buying it,” he noted. “This changed during the pandemic, led by Chinese buyers who have grown accustomed to online trade. We are adapting to this development.” of Japanese Akoya pearl from Kakuda Pearl Co Ltd 觉田真珠株式会社的日本海水珠 | Bernardette Sto. Domingo 杜明高 |
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