Leather and Footwear

— Latest update: March 2022 —

The Japanese leather industry is dominated by SMEs, producing in rather small quantities.

Over 2,000 companies are registered in the Japan Leather and Leather Goods Industries Association and the industry is only concentrated in a few locations, such as in Hyogo, Osaka and Tokyo prefecture. Beside natural leather, Japan is also producing large quantities of synthetic leather, and the development of high-quality and finely textured synthetic leather is said to have a huge potential in the luxury fashion market. Sales are currently declining, and the demographic change could further shrink the customer base in the near future. However, the promotion of “Made in Japan” leather products and the development of high-quality synthetic leather are viewed as promising solutions to secure a positive development of the sector in the future.

European Commission, Sectoral Study – Impact of the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement on the Leather Products Market in Japan, 2020
JLIA, JLIA Member Directory

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Table of Contents

• Overview
• Production
  • Leather Goods
  • Footwear Market
  • Bag Market
• Consumer Characteristics
• Regulations
  • CITES
  • Labelling
  • Eco Leather
  • Japan Leather Pride Tag
  • EU-Japan EPA
• Reports
• Relevant Organisations and Trade Fairs