The chairman of Ryohin Keikaku on charting Muji's global expansion (How I Did It)

The idea behind Muji was to manufacture and sell beautiful, inexpensive housewares, food, and apparel that every Japanese consumer might need. In the late 1980s Muji sparked interest among British retailers at an exhibition of Japanese products, and a joint venture with Liberty ensued. By 1991 the brand had stand-alone stores in London and Hong Kong, and since then it has grown to 418 stores in Japan and 403 in 27 other countries. Yet the company has moved cautiously, adding stores only when existing ones in the country or region are running profitably, and trusting the intuition of local managers. Operations outside Japan now account for 35% of the business, and the company intends to keep expanding globally. But its aim is to be tenacious in trying to deliver on the Muji promise and to live as part of a community--simply, conscientiously, and in harmony.