Black Friday sales heating up in Japan as consumers hunt bargains

Black Friday campaigns are heating up in Japan, with retailers offering discounts ahead of the main event on Friday.

Supermarkets and other retailers are waging the campaigns in hopes of attracting bargain-hunting consumers, who have turned thrifty amid persistent inflation.

Supermarket operator Ito-Yokado is offering fresh foods and other items at ¥96 and ¥960, both before tax. Using the figure “96,” which can be read in Japanese as “kuro,” meaning “black,” the Tokyo-based company is offering a playful nod to Black Friday sales.

Ito-Yokado ran what it called the Red Price Day campaign for three days last week as a prelude to the main sale, discounting red-packaged milk, ketchup and some other products.

The company is also collaborating with global streaming giant Netflix to sell snacks and other items as movie companions, targeting younger shoppers.

Aeon Retail launched a sale on about 2,000 items from Thursday. The number of products, including suits and futon bedding, offered at half price increased 2.5 times from last year.

Amazon Japan, under the wing of U.S. e-commerce giant Amazon.com, began a sale last week covering more than 3 million items, including daily necessities and food products. The Japanese arm is also offering experiential bundles that pair camping gear with vouchers for campgrounds.