Onitsuka Tiger, the Japanese sports brand, launched a sneaker vending machine on Carnaby Street today. Sneaker vending isn’t entirely new-it’s been done in Japan, off course, by Reebok. Onitsuka Tiger, on the other hand, put some effort into custom-building their machine, which can sell 24 pairs of shoes at a time, in 6 sizes.
Following its London debut, the machine will travel across the UK to bring convenience-buying to the rest of Britain. Fun bit of brand promotion; “What, these shoes? I just got them from a vending machine down the street.” Nevertheless, other unconventional vending machines have been reported in the past such as machines that vend umbrellas and hair straighteners.
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Will Tokyo continue to be Asia’s leading financial centre and keep up with the world’s premier financial centres: New York and London?
The other day I was reading a special report on financial centres published by The Economist. Today my juices got rolling again on this topic. While I was reading this article published by the NY Times on how Japan’s economic planners want to revive Tokyo’s stock market.
The Tokyo Stock Exchange has fallen from being the largest stock market in the world at 1990 market capitalization to No. 2, behind the New York Stock Exchange. During that time, the value of all shares traded on the Tokyo exchange rose less than 60 percent, to about $4.6 trillion at the end of last year. By contrast, the value of the New York exchange increased fivefold. Hong Kong’s main exchange rose by a factor of 21, though it is still half the size of Tokyo. In London, already the global centre for trading in currency, the main stock market has grown fourfold since 1990 and could soon overtake Tokyo.
Industry experts agree that Tokyo has to attract much more foreign capital, foreign investors/companies, and foreign talent in order to remain competitive in the region and to keep up with New York and London. A necessity to achieve this is creating a better regulatory and tax environment. On top of that advance living conditions for English speakers, amongst others creating more English schools and putting up English signs etc..
If Japan will achieve this is yet to be seen. Particularly cause of the growing importance of Hong Kong as major hub to spread Chinese capital around the world. A safer bet for Tokyo would be to concentrate on a certain niche.
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Hey peeps! Currently a friend of my is visiting Tokyo, Japan. As Tokyo always brings up great memories for me I am eager to enjoy the experiences from others as well. He posted some great movies and snapshots on his blog that really captures the mood and atmosphere of this dazzling city! Check it out!
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Luigi Di Serio is an “entrepreneur” who does “ad hoc writing, website development and theorising.” He also has a degree in Urban Planning, which, we suppose, makes him vaguely qualified to rank the world’s top skylines. Regardless, his list can serve as a good conversation starter. Notably, seven out of his top 10 are in Asia:
1. Hong Kong, China
2. Chicago, USA
3. Shanghai, China
4. New York City, USA
5. Tokyo, Japan
6. Singapore
7. Toronto, Canada
8. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
9. Shenzhen, China
10. Seoul, South Korea
As I’ve not been to all ten places on this list but a fairly seven, however, I can acknowledge that I totally agree with his top 3. Truly Hong Kong’s skyline is my ultimate favourite and looks even better during Chinese New Year, I am also in particular fond of all the modern skyscrapers and architectural “tour de forces” in Chicago.
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