JAPAN'S MARKET

(The first wave of baby boomers well known as the "Dankai" generation―born 1947-1949.) This generation shaped Japan's postwar youth culture. Now they retired and completed their child-raising roles, spend their money and time to enjoy the affluent lifestyle as traveling frequently.

Because they got into the working world during Japan's bubble economy period in the late '80s and early '90s, these women lived in the lap of luxury. Many are active, energetic women who continue to work after marriage. They are noted as a group with stable spending habits.

The generation born in 1971-74 is Junior Baby Boomer who experienced an ice age for job seeking right after the collapse of bubble economy. They generated new senses of value under the rapid spread of IT technologies, turning out some new business entrepreneurs. Notably, men in this generation are unconcerned with the traditional manhood, treat women just as friends, and lead modest, ecological lives. These metrosexual gents are expressed as "herbivores".

While Japan's birth rate has declined, the amount of money spent on each child has increased, as illustrated by the common saying, "Two parents and two sets of grandparents makes six wallets for every kid."