user1 
We had exhibited at 29th International Jewelry Kobe, held at Kobe International Exhibition Hall, for 3 days from 15/05/2025 to 17/05/2025．
100 days have passed since President Trump took office, and the Trump administration’s policies are dramatically changing the face of the world. Conventional social, political, and economic principles are being rejected, globalization is being reversed, and a grand conservative revolution is about to take place.
The Trump administration’s tariff policy has caused confusion around the world by imposing a flat 10% tariff on all trading partners, plus tariffs calculated by the Trump administration on about 60 additional countries and regions. As the uncertainty of tariff policy and the economy increases, global investors and companies are beginning to rethink their investment strategies, and investment money from the United States is beginning to return to their countries to move away from reliance on the United States.
The world has changed drastically, and we are now in an era where the common sense of the past is no longer applicable. Looking at the industrial structure, the manufacturing has been driving the economy for the past half a century, and when manufacturing was profitable, employment expanded, and leading to economic expansion. Now, after the rise of internet-related platforms, AI is becoming conspicuous, ushering in a new level of growth, and shaping the onset of a change in the industrial structure. With new technology, leading-edge companies will continue to grow, while companies that cling to old ways will decline.
The structure of our industry has also changed dramatically, and rising prices due to inflation have made it difficult to cope with sales on site. Due to global uncertainty, gold is trading at an all-time high and investment demand is 2.7 times higher than last year and has the potential to go higher in the future. On the other hand, demand for jewelry has fallen by 20%, and with prices continuing to rise this much, gold has now become an investment target, as can be seen from the increasing demand for coins and necklaces.
Our industry is inherently old-fashioned and rarely changes, so it has not kept up with the changes of the times and is unable to respond to the current global inflation. If inflation continues to rise, it may become difficult to sell jewelry. Additionally, in Japan, the majority of jewelry customers are older, so there is an urgent need to appeal to younger generations. It is necessary to change in accordance with the present times and for the future.
However, our industry may still have some hope due to the future Japanese economy and expanding domestic demand. Benefiting from inbound tourism, service-related demand has become extremely strong, such as in the lodging and restaurant industries, and construction has become very active due to a lack of supply. A virtuous cycle of domestic demand-related consumption, investment, production, and a cascading increase in demand is taking place. In addition, due to the conflict between the US and China, there is a noticeable movement to shift supply chains to Japan, and domestic demand will probably be the driving force rather than exports in the future.
This jewelry show, which was held under such circumstances, seemed to have an atmosphere that strongly reflected the current situation. The number of visitors seemed smaller than in previous years due to the decline in demand for jewelry, but this year in particular, there was a sharp drop in the number of visitors from the domestic retail and wholesale trade. The sales of jewelry in Japan seems to be difficult, so I think there were very few people who purchased for domestic customers.
Also, due to the ongoing poor economic climate in China, the number of Chinese buyers seemed to be quite low.Among them, live commerce sales by people from ASEAN countries such as the Philippines were a big hit at each company’s exhibition booth, and many exhibitors created booths specialized for live commerce, highlighting the changes in sales methods at jewelry shows compared to previous years.
In the current situation, jewelry shows and exhibitors cannot survive with sales only within the domestic market, and it seems likely that future jewelry shows will become increasingly diverged from the domestic market. The real economic growth rate announced on the 16th also showed negative both in Japan and the United States, and the combination of inflation and uncertainty about the future has slowed personal consumption, putting a brake on the economy. It is likely that the situation for selling jewelry in Japan will continue to get tougher in the future.
This time, it was a jewelry show that faced the changing times and the future direction. Even though the number of visitors decreased, the booths of the companies that were elaborating and taking a more positive and serious approach were bustling with visitors. Times are changing, and change is required. Our company will also be working on changes in preparation for the next jewelry show. Thank you to everyone who came this time and we sincerely appreciate it. We hope to see you again at the next jewelry show.
