President Hisaichi Kimura said the Osaka-based company, which has developed a global reputation based on Japanese technology and quality, has turned beyond its shores as the population ages and its workforce shrinks.
The clothier has endeared itself to generations of parents with attention to detail, such as techniques in attaching buttons to keep them from becoming a choking hazard. At Miki House, about 70% of products are still made domestically, but some items, such as children's shoes, cannot be made locally at scale and are manufactured in Vietnam.
"Moving production overseas runs a very minor risk of undermining the cultural association with Japan, but the bigger challenge will be to ensure there is no dilution in production standards or product quality," he added.