Big Take Asia BONUS: ユニクロ・柳井正氏を直撃、アメリカ内陸部への執念と後継者
Apr 8, 2026
Tadashi Yanai, founder of Fast Retailing and the force behind UNIQLO, reflects on global growth. He discusses targeting America’s inland "flyover" regions and using flagship stores to educate shoppers. Plans to roughly double U.S. stores are revealed. He also speaks briefly about succession while staying involved in leadership.
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Uniqlo's Final Frontier Is Middle America
- Tadashi Yanai sees winning America's inland "flyover" country as the final barrier to global No.1 status for Uniqlo.
- He focuses on flagship stores and local education to build brand awareness where Uniqlo is still little known in Middle America.
Stores Double As Product Classrooms In The U.S.
- In U.S. inland stores Uniqlo must explain product features and company philosophy actively because American customers lack prior familiarity.
- Yanai uses verbal explanations and panels at stores to teach product benefits from scratch.
Set Concrete Store Count Targets To Build Presence
- Expand store count rapidly in target regions with a clear numeric goal to build presence and sales momentum.
- Yanai set a concrete objective to grow U.S. inland stores from ~100 to 200 within about a year.