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Changes of social economic situations and consumer life

Part 1 : [Feature] 10 Years of the Consumer Affairs Agency and Consumer Commission - Consumer Policy's Development and Future Prospects-
Chapter 1 : Changes in the environment that surrounds consumers and consumer issues
Section 2 : Changes of social economic situations and consumer life

Progress of declining birthrate and aging population

  • Declining birthrate, aging population, and declining population will further progress and the number of people living in households will decrease.
  • Consumer affairs consultations on elderly people increased. Consultations on "billing fraud" increased after 2017.

[Figure 14] Transition in population in Japan

[Figure 15] Consumer affairs consultations for elderly people

[Figure 16] Highest numbers of consultations on product/service types by elderly people

Development of Digitalization

  • The growth of the e-commerce market is based on widespread use of the internet in consumer transactions.
  • The percentage of "Goods" has increased in consumer affairs consultations related to "online shopping."

[Figure 17] The e-commerce (B to C) market size in Japan

[Figure 18] Percentage of consumer affairs consultations on “online shopping” by product/service type

Progress of globalization

  • The size of cross-border e-commerce expanded. As consumers became able to easily make transactions with businesses outside Japan, troubles related to them started to occur.
  • As inbound travelers increased, their consumption also increased. The "Consumer Hotline for Tourists" was established in the National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan in 2018.

[Figure 19] Cross-border e-commerce in Japan

[Figure 20] The number of complaints filed with Cross-border Consumer center Japan (CCJ) and percentage by age group

[Figure 21] The number of inbound travelers and the amount of travel consumption

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