At the beginning , western retailers started eye the Japanese market in the 1990s when the Japanese government finally revoked its large-scale stores law that prevented foreign entry by retailers and when real estate prices in japan started falling. At the dawn of the 21st century, several global retailers set up shop in Japan. These firms include boots. Sephora, Wal-mart , and finally U.K.’s Tesco in 2003. Carrefour made its entry into japan in 2000 and initially opened four stores in Tokyo, Osaka,Saitama,and Hyogo. followed by four more in Kansai. At the time of its entry, it planned to have a total of around 15 stores by the end of 2003.it was not only unable to reach that number but also by the beginning of 2005. The company had started denying rumors that it was going to quit japan only to exit the Japanese market a few months later. Industry experts claim that the low-price focus of firms like Carrefour and Wal-Mart do not meet the expectations of discerning Japanese consumers who prefer better quality over lower price. The establishment of specialized retailers and changes in the consumption patterns also has exacerbated the situation for foreign retailers.