The Future of Wellness

This series has now reached its ninth installment.

Starting with definitions and moving to purchasing patterns, we've broadly discussed wellness based on the results of our 2012 survey of 10,000 people. Have you gotten a sense of what wellness might look like for today's consumers?

As mentioned briefly in the first installment, the players tackling this theme have diversified and increased in recent years. To conclude, we'll introduce actual wellness products and services that have responded to the consumer needs we've explained so far, or helped make them more visible.

● Wellness × Traditional Wisdom (Salted Koji, Vinegar, Ginger Processed Foods, etc.)
⇒Their health benefits are being reevaluated as research on their functional evidence progresses.

● Wellness × Nature-Oriented (green smoothies, enzyme drinks, etc.)
⇒The idea of consuming foods "whole" and "as is" creates a sense that they are good for health.

● Wellness × Sales Areas (e.g., home appliance stores, department store health care and beauty product sections)
⇒As demand has increased and the number of products has grown, dedicated sections have been set up.

●Wellness × Desire (Tokuho beverages, zero-calorie beers, anti-drinking beverages, etc.)
⇒Rather than suppressing desires, people are now learning to care for them.

● Wellness × Fatigue (Energy drinks, aromatherapy products, relaxation salons, etc.)
⇒With many people experiencing physical and mental fatigue, products contributing to recovery are increasing.

●Wellness × Digital Society (Eye strain relief, shoulder/arm stiffness countermeasures, etc.)
⇒ These are top concerns. Glasses unrelated to vision, beyond fashion, represent innovation.

● Wellness × Etiquette (Nail salons, esthetic treatments, etc.)
⇒Men's awareness is also rising, giving the impression these services are no longer just for women.

●Wellness × Daily Life (Healthy appliances, "just do it" or "do it while" products, etc.)
⇒ Low barriers to entry mean these are easy to adopt, so demand won't fade.

● Wellness × IT (Game consoles, apps, smart trackers, etc.)
⇒ These were sensational when they first appeared. It's a field poised for even greater development.

What do you think? All of these are quite commonplace. If you pay attention, you'll likely notice wellness-valued products have quietly become ubiquitous.

Also, as a reference, here are some trends in the medical field, inseparable from wellness: genetic testing, personalized medicine, and iPS cells (though practical application may take more time) have been topics of discussion. From this perspective, it feels like more personalized approaches are becoming possible.

When I was a student studying biotechnology, I gained a profound sense of how incredibly sophisticated living organisms are—how miraculous it is to be alive. The desire to live healthier, more beautiful, and longer lives is an instinctive one. Yet, the world we live in today, with its convenient and advanced civilization, has both positive and negative aspects for human wellness.

Technological progress is changing the nature of wellness challenges themselves, and the solutions offered are also evolving in various ways. On the other hand, wellness is something science alone cannot fully resolve. Going forward, striking a balance between nature and artificiality is expected to become key.

Now, this series will take a break for the time being (currently analyzing 2013 survey results!). With so much data and a substantial volume per installment, I know it was demanding reading. To everyone who has followed along this far, thank you so very much.

I hope to see you again soon, perhaps in a different format.