Manila, Philippines — When it comes to stylish and functional prescription glasses, Japanese brand Jins is truly ahead of its game.

Established in 2001 in Japan, Jins has been developing various eyeglass products that cater to different market segments globally —   with its 480 stores in Japan, 180 stores in China, and 50 stores in Taiwan. In the United States, Jins has four stores, and seven stores in the Philippines currently. 

One of the leading style visionaries in the company is Katsumi Kubota, Managing Executive Officer at Jins. He is heading the American office of the eyeglass label, as well as helping with the Philippine office, flying in and out of the country. Kubota was one of the team members responsible for bringing the Japanese eyeglass brand to the Philippines five years ago.

Katsumi Kubota, Managing Executive Officer at Jins | Photographed by Pranz Kaeno

Kubota was no stranger in introducing global fashion brands to the Philippine market. This style visionary was also one of the pioneers who launched Uniqlo in the Philippines back in 2012, the same way he brought Uniqlo to Russia in 2010.

He explained why the Philippines was such a lovely market for any global fashion brands at the time, during his interview with  Stylish Magazine via Style Visionary Network at the Jins headquarters in BGC in Taguig City, Philippines.

“The fashion market of the Philippines at that time was already very strong. Based on the huge population, and that population is young. And of course, the market is very energetic, vivid, and pretty much led by fashion retail giant Bench. The Filipino people had the capability to fairly understand the arrival of foreign brands. So when we were launching Uniqlo in the Philippines, we didn’t come for combat. We didn’t come to fight. We just came to become a part of the Filipino people’s life when it comes to clothing,” Kubota explained. “And of course, even from around that time, I had so much big respect for Mr. Ben Chan of Bench. Because he succeeded in creating the most loved Filipino brand in Bench. I have known him for years.”

Ben Chan would eventually become instrumental in launching Jins in the Philippines years later. 

“While we were preparing to launch Jins, I introduced Mr. Bench to Jins. Jins eventually started to have a partnership with Mr. Ben Chan,” he said. The Suyen Corporation, mother company of Bench, helped launch Jins in the country in 2018 with its first store at SM Aura Premiere.

The Magnified Life

Katsumi shared the brand ethos of Jins that the company has always stood by.

“Aside from it being a Japanese brand, we at Jins have always had a vision. That is to offer ‘The Magnified Life’ and that’s what we care about the most. ‘The Magnified Life’ through the Jins eyewear means encouraging people to change the way they view the world.“

The Jins Managing Executive Officer shared how the brand has brought so much fulfillment in his life, personally.

“80% of the information that we absorb as human beings are coming through the eyes,” he said.

“The remaining 20% of information, we obtain through the ears, or sense of taste and touch. The  information coming through the eye is a major channel for human beings. So through the Jins eyewear, we help people with difficulty in their eyesight to view the world better. We are responsible for their needs, and we are fortunate to work with that need. That’s why we always say, we offer ‘The Magnified Life’ through Jins.” 

“Even though we are known for our stylish prescription glasses, Jins has always had a mix of function and fashion in our offerings. Like for me personally, I do have three eyeglasses that I use regularly: one for functionality which is my pair of reading glasses because of my age, one pair is for reading but more in style, and another is my pair of sunglasses for fashion. My prescription glasses help me see the world better, while the pairs which are more in style, help me see and feel better about myself.

“If you wear a square metal glass, you look more serious. But if you wear a bold style, you look different too.” 

“I selected one pair more because of the comfortability, and I look really soft in the office when I wear this pair. I can sense people approach me easier when I am wearing this pa. So the time I have to talk to my sub-unit people, I don’t want to intimidate them so much so I wear this soft style.” 

“And this other pair is a more formal one, it’s a mix of warm and cool. You know what, it has magic. You look different for each glass. Like you feel different. This is the beauty of eyeglasses. You wear a different pair each time, and even your demeanor changes. Like I can see there is a little bit of change every time you wear a different pair of eyeglass.” 

“In a sense, these three different pairs of eyeglasses are helping me to magnify my life.”

Katsumi Kubota, Managing Executive Officer at Jins | Photographed by Pranz Kaeno

The concept of magnified life resonates deeply with JINS’ philosophy. It signifies their belief that by providing eyewear that enhances vision, they can empower individuals to experience the world in a new light. JINS goes beyond mere functionality and understands the transformative power of eyewear.

Jins in the USA

Kubota was also the man behind the expansion of Jins in the USA , making its introduction in the Western market eight years ago.

He shared that there was a different set of challenges the brand had to conquer at the time.

“That market was very difficult. I think Jins was really fighting. One of the reasons why the owner, Mr. Tanaka, invited me to join, was that he is expecting me to redo the business of Jins in the United States,” he said.

“The US market is huge, very, very big. And the physiognomy of the people, because of the mix of different races, there are many different faces. Our products sometimes don’t work because of the different sizes of the faces compared to our usual Asian customers. So our initial products do not work for slightly large-faced people,” he said.

“We had to create one more variety. Not on the design so much. But more for the fitting. We started to sell the same design, but different sizes, with medium, wide, extra wide, narrow, and extra narrow. But the same design, the same frame, but different sizes.”

“Later on, of course, sales increased more because we became capable of catering for different sizes of faces. So those are the things that we don’t have to do in Japanese markets so much because it’s the same size, same face. We don’t feel that big necessity of that in most Asian countries. So that’s the difference between the US and Asian market.”

Jins in the Philippines

“Eyeglasses are for a long-term investment. People tend to buy eyeglasses every two years. They change it every two years only. That’s why we try to offer different styles, different materials so that people can enjoy in accordance with the way they want to present themselves,” Kubota explained.

Jins offers prescribed-glasses by its in-house optometrist in all of its seven stores in the country. 

“In the Philippines, to buy prescription eyeglasses, you have to have a prescription-issued by the optometrist. That’s why all our seven Jins stores, there is an optometrist. Even the customer comes, and if that customer does not have a prescription, the first thing they have to do is they have to do the eye exam. Once the exam is done, most of the products, we can deliver in 30 minutes. We are number one in the Japanese market, and there are other competitors. Our system is topnotch.”

Beyond its renowned prescription eyeglasses, JINS offers a captivating collection of stylish sunglasses that blend both function and fashion. The brand acknowledges the evolving needs of individuals as they age and ensures that their eyewear provides the necessary functionality while still reflecting personal style choices.

JINS empowers individuals to see the world more clearly while embracing their unique identity and personal expression. Whether it’s the desire for improved vision or the aspiration to make a fashion statement, JINS eyewear offers a diverse range of options that cater to every individual’s needs and desires.

In the world of eyewear, JINS continues to shine as a brand that not only provides high-quality products but also encourages wearers to embrace a magnified life—one where vision becomes a catalyst for personal transformation and a renewed outlook on the world.