Can "Made in Japan" Be a Strength? ~The Present and Future of the Japan Brand~

This series Part 3 introduced how "shopping" ranks high among things people want to do in Japan. Walking through Ginza, you'll encounter many foreign tourists enjoying shopping. We also hear about gachapon becoming a hot topic, and Japanese knives and folding fans being popular souvenirs.

Once a global phenomenon, how is "Made in Japan" perceived worldwide now that opportunities to purchase these products have increased through visits to Japan and cross-border e-commerce?

This series explores insights for future inbound business from the "Japan Brand Survey 2019," conducted in 20 countries and regions in December 2018. This time, we focus on "Made in JAPAN" and delve deeper.

Over 80% say "Japanese products are excellent"! Overwhelming praise for Made in JAPAN

Part 2 As mentioned previously, when asked about their impression of Japan and whether they think "Japanese products are excellent," 82.3% of respondents across all 20 countries and regions answered "Yes, I think they are excellent."

Particularly in the ASEAN region, the score exceeded 90%, revealing overwhelmingly positive evaluations. In Europe, too, 80% of respondents gave high praise. This shows that Japanese products are valued not only in Asia, where they circulate widely, but globally.

So, specifically, who holds this high regard? A closer look reveals that those with experience visiting Japan tend to rate Japanese products more highly. Many people actually visit Japan, experience Japanese products firsthand, like them, and then purchase them to take home. The bidet toilet seat, which became a topic of discussion during the "baku-gai" (mass buying) boom, is one such example.

Furthermore, those who responded that Japanese "food" or "tradition" is "excellent" or "interesting" also gave higher ratings. Cup noodles, sweets, yukata, and folding fans are becoming popular souvenirs. The increased opportunities to experience Japanese food and traditional designs may also be influencing the positive perception of Japanese products.

The image of "Made in Japan" shifts from "cutting-edge" to "quality"

When asked about the image of Made in JAPAN, "high-tech" ranked highest overall. This was followed by "high performance" and "reliable."

There are slight differences in perception by region. Notably, in East Asia, impressions like "seems carefully crafted," "delicate/meticulous," and "reliable" stand out compared to other regions.

In Europe and America, the top responses were "high-tech," "high performance," and "reliable," aligning with the overall trend. However, scores were generally lower, suggesting a weaker overall image of Japanese products.

This is likely related to the distribution volume and product content of Japanese goods. It is striking that in East Asia, where Japanese products are widely penetrated, it is not "technology" but the "manufacturing ethos" and the "quality" backed by it that are valued.

Comparing with the 2015 survey, "high-tech" ranked first in 2015 with a score over 10 points higher than "high performance" in second place. This shows that the "cutting-edge" image was much stronger then, compared to now where the gap is only 5.5 points.

The weakening of the "cutting-edge" image may be partly due to external factors, such as the technological advancement of Asian countries like South Korea and China.

From a competitive perspective, the Made in Japan brand receives high ratings for performance and quality, but scores lower on "stylish impression." While Japanese products are globally recognized, there appear to be ongoing challenges in reaching a broader user base.

Which product categories show high potential going forward? "Health foods" and "jewelry"?

So, in which categories are Japanese products in demand? Categories with high scores for experience and interest remain traditional strongholds: "TVs, audio equipment, and other AV devices" and "transportation equipment like automobiles and motorcycles." Following closely are "instant foods like ramen" and "cosmetics." Other categories show experience scores below 30%, indicating limited interest.

On the other hand, product categories showing potential for future growth (where interest exceeds experience) were "Health Foods & Beverages" and "Jewelry." By country/region, Taiwan had the highest score for "Health Foods & Beverages" (63.3%), while the Philippines had the highest for "Jewelry" (30.0%).

From another perspective, when asked about future intentions (i.e., product categories currently scarce or unavailable domestically but desired to become more accessible from Japanese brands), trends varied by country/region.

For example, many countries in the Europe and America region, where Japanese products traditionally hold strong positions, listed "AV equipment" and "transportation equipment" at the top. In contrast, "pharmaceuticals" ranked highest in East Asian countries/regions and Vietnam.

Singapore ranked "instant foods" first, Thailand "confectionery," Indonesia "apparel/fashion," Italy "cosmetics," and Russia "health foods/beverages." This reveals that in about half of the countries/regions, demand is emerging for diverse categories beyond the traditional Japanese strengths of "AV equipment" and "transportation equipment," suggesting broader potential for Japanese products than ever before.

While Japanese brands once dominated the world, changing external environments and increased exposure to Japanese products have altered their image. While maintaining a strong reputation for quality, the results also reveal challenges: a relatively narrow range of experiences and losing out to competitors in terms of a stylish image.

This growing interest in various Japanese products is expected to further increase the number of visitors to Japan. The diversification of experiences with Japanese products through inbound tourism will likely continue to influence the image of the Japan brand.

We will continue to monitor the evolving Japan brand and its relationship with inbound tourism.

【Contact for Inquiries Regarding This Matter】
Dentsu Inc. Japan Brand Project Team
japanbrand@dentsu.co.jp

Japan Brand Survey Hub Page
https://www.dentsu.co.jp/knowledge/japan_brand/

[Purpose of the Dentsu Inc. Japan Brand Survey]
Dentsu Inc.'s proprietary survey initiated in 2011 to understand how the Japan Brand was perceived globally when reputational damage occurred to Japanese agricultural and marine products and inbound tourism following the Great East Japan Earthquake. In 2022, it evolved into a cross-company project activity to enhance expertise through a fundamental restructuring of survey design, analytical approaches, and outputs.In 2025, it will newly plan and build a knowledge portfolio for the general public, aiming to create social value grounded in consumer insights.
The Japan Brand Survey regularly gauges the awareness and actual attitudes of overseas consumers regarding the Japan Brand as a whole, covering areas such as inbound tourism, regional revitalization, food, Japanese products, content, values, lifestyles, and social trends. It visualizes the changing sentiments of consumers and the challenges and potential of the Japan Brand, contributing to increasingly complex corporate activities while also promoting cross-cultural understanding within Japanese society.

【Dentsu Inc. Japan Brand Survey 2019: Survey Overview】
・Target Areas: 20 countries/regions (Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, India, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines, Australia, USA, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Turkey)
・Sample Size: 6,600 (Breakdown: United States 600, Mainland China 600, Other countries/regions 300 each)
・Survey Period: December 2018
・Respondent criteria: Men and women aged 20–59 (middle-income and above)
・Survey Method: Internet survey
・Research Organizations: Dentsu Inc. (Principal Investigator), Video Research Ltd. (Implementation Support)

[Notes and Disclaimers]
※1: Mainland China coverage primarily limited to Tier 1 cities; Australia limited to the Sydney metropolitan area; Southeast Asia primarily limited to metropolitan areas.
※2: Definition of middle-income level: Criteria set per country based on national average income (e.g., OECD statistics) and social class classification (SEC).
※3: Samples were collected with equal allocation by gender and age group for each country/region, then weighted to match the population composition.
※4: Proportions in this survey are rounded to the second decimal place (or first decimal place where integers are displayed), so totals may not add up to 100%.
※5: Country and region names used in this survey report and on the website follow the longstanding views of the Japanese government, Japanese social norms, and business practices.
※6: In creating the charts and graphs for this survey, the names of countries and regions analyzed use the international standard ISO Country Code (ISO 3166-1 alpha-2/3), with some exceptions.
United States/US/USA, Canada/CA/CAN, Australia/AU/AUS, United Kingdom/UK/GBR, Germany/DE/DEU, France/FR/FRA, Italy/IT/ITA,Spain/ES/ESP, Finland/FI/FIN, United Arab Emirates/UAE, Saudi Arabia/SA/SAU, India/IN/IND, Indonesia/ID/IDN, Singapore/SG/SGP, Malaysia/MY/MYS, Philippines/PH/PHL, Thailand/TH/THA,Vietnam/VN/VNM, Mainland China/CN/CHN, Hong Kong/HK/HKG, Taiwan/TW/TWN, South Korea/KR/KOR, Turkey/TR
※7: Country and region names used in this survey are for statistical or analytical convenience only and do not indicate any political stance or viewpoint.
※8: The maps used in this survey (world map and Japan map) have been partially modified and cropped to suit the analysis content and page layout. They do not necessarily accurately reflect national borders or territorial boundaries.