As Japan's population ages, retailers have been forced to evolve in step to serve the needs of a changing consumer base.Yasuko Tanaka, 78, and Hanako Muraoka, 71, are "asatomo," a Japanese word literally meaning "friends in the morning." Early each day, the pair take part in 30-minute group physical exercises that bring together around 100 fellow senior citizens from their Tokyo neighborhood.Retail giant Aeon Co. has renovated 13 outlets across the country to cater to seniors, offering earlier opening hours and services that encourage asatomo get-togethers.At a mall in eastern Tokyo's Kasai…READ FULL ARTICLE
