Core Viewpoint - The company Drunk Elephant will completely exit the Japanese market by June 30, 2024, including both online channels and six physical stores, less than four years after its introduction to Japan [2][3]. Group 1: Company Performance and Strategy - Drunk Elephant was acquired by Shiseido in 2019 for $845 million, with the expectation that it would become a key growth driver for the group [3][4]. - Initially, Drunk Elephant showed strong performance, contributing positively to Shiseido's financial results, with a 14% year-on-year growth in Q1 2020 despite declines in other brands [5][6]. - However, sales began to decline significantly, with a 25% drop in 2024 and a staggering 65% decline in Q1 2025, particularly in the Americas and Europe [5][7]. Group 2: Market Dynamics and Challenges - The clean skincare market has become increasingly competitive, making it difficult for Drunk Elephant to maintain its market share [6][8]. - Shiseido has faced overall performance challenges, with a net sales figure of 990.586 billion yen in 2024, a 1.8% increase, but a significant drop in operating profit by 73.1% [7]. - The shift in consumer preference towards efficacy-driven skincare over clean skincare has further complicated Drunk Elephant's position in the market [8]. Group 3: Future Outlook - The exit from Japan is viewed as a strategic adjustment for Shiseido, allowing the company to focus resources on markets with better growth potential [7][8]. - There is uncertainty regarding whether Drunk Elephant will exit other markets, as Shiseido has not provided specific responses to these questions [8].