Companies from Japan have been occupying leading positions
in the global electronic devices market .
Many of them date back more than 50 years, and there are also representatives that were founded in the early 20th century or even earlier. Among such companies are such leaders as Mitsubishi, Nintendo, Panasonic, Sharp and others. All this suggests that they have come a long way in development, because few of the existing large global corporations were able to achieve everything in a short period of time. Many Japanese companies have gone from small enterprises and little-known firms to international corporations. Now it is the basis of the Japanese economy, the profits of the Mitsubishi amount to almost 10% of Japan's GDP.
Other corporations, for example, Sony, JVC, Sega , are companies that focus primarily on the international market. They have representative offices in many countries of the world and conduct their business on their territory, concluding agreements with other companies.
This picture allows us to talk about the diversified business of Japanese entrepreneurs and the companies themselves. The same applies to product release. Production is not limited only to household appliances and similar electronics, many companies produce high-precision equipment for scientific research, for example, Konica, Olympus, Casio , but there are also representatives of the entertainment industry and developers of games and game consoles - Sega, Nintendo .
Their products are sold in many countries around the world, where there are fans and consumers who value them for their quality and reliability. All this makes the concept of “Japanese quality” a household word, when Japanese electronics are considered the standard.
Japanese companies producing electronic products have achieved considerable success over the long course of their development. We are talking not only about quality products that satisfy most of the world's demand, but also about other achievements. For example, the Casio company created the world's first electronic calculator , the Canon has many patents in the field of photographic equipment (by the way, you can read about how to use photographic equipment on the website), and the Toshiba company was the first in the world to start selling laptops . The history of Toshiba dates back to the century before last. This is one of the largest leaders in the global market of computers and components.
Many Japanese corporations willingly cooperate with other global companies, which help them expand their areas of presence and create their representative offices in other countries. But at the same time, they are reluctant to allow companies from other countries into their domestic market.
Japanese quality
Although Japanese corporations (as mentioned earlier) produce many different types of goods, there is one aspect that unites them all. Whether the Japanese produce mobile phones or lipstick, the ultimate goal is to create a quality product. Quality is the main reason for the incredible success of products made in Japan.
The market is structured in such a way that consumers are willing to pay more for a product if they are confident in its quality. This is exactly what happened with Japanese products. When people realized that goods from Japan could last for quite a long time, the high price of products no longer scared off potential consumers. Thus, we can safely equate Japanese goods with high quality.
Do Japanese washing machines break?
Any equipment can fail. Only low-quality equipment breaks down due to poor materials, poor-quality assembly, defective parts or outdated technologies, while in premium-class equipment problems arise mainly due to external factors:
- Improper use;
- Non-compliance of resources - water and voltage - with established standards.
Let's look at the typical causes of breakdowns of washing equipment assembled in Japan, using Panasonic as an example:
- Due to voltage surges, contacts and wiring burn out, and electronic components fail. If the network filter is faulty, the control board breaks down.
- Due to violation of the instructions - overload, overdose of powder, falling objects - problems arise with the drum.
- Due to hard water, the internal elements become covered with scale.
- Clogged drain and water intake. The reason is clogged filters, hoses, pipes or pump failure.
- Spin does not work. Problems in the pressure switch, pump, engine, tachogenerator. If at least one of the listed elements is broken, the spin cycle will work poorly or will not start at all.
- The hatch door does not open/close. The reason is wear and tear.
Cloth
Japanese clothing brands are extremely popular among fashionistas from around the world. The thing is that the special philosophy of life of the Japanese is expressed in their fashion trends. Basically, Japanese clothing is characterized by straight lines, clear silhouettes, a predominance of conservative colors and the absence of any vulgar elements.
For the first time on the world stage, designers Miyake and Kenzo announced the existence of Japanese fashion. A distinctive feature of their collections was that they actively used paper, iron and rubber in tailoring. The followers of the above-mentioned designers in the early 90s of the last century were Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto. These designers immediately managed to captivate the Parisian audience with their collections of women's and men's clothing.
Currently, the list of world-famous Japanese designers and fashion designers is not limited to four names, and the number of popular Japanese clothing brands can impress even the most sophisticated fashionistas. The most popular clothing manufacturers from Japan are the following companies:
- Remi Relief.
- KiNoe.
- Uniqlo.
- Toga.
Another brand that deserves the attention of the public is Anrealage. It was created by young designer Kunihiko Morinaga. His collection is considered quite daring for his country, as it is based on abstract prints and bright colors. However, it is in high demand in the global fashion market.
What to buy in Japan?
What kind of electronics and electrical equipment is profitable to buy in Japan? In terms of variety of choices, photographic equipment takes the leading place. A huge selection of camera models, lenses, tripods and other accessories, inaccessible even to Russian online stores. You can also buy various photographic films, developing chemicals, disposable cameras, cameras that instantly print pictures...
On the low price side, these are goods that are not officially supplied to Russia or are supplied only to order. Everything here is very individual and depends on the manufacturer and the specific product. This can be any electronics; the most famous example is the products of the Panasonic company already mentioned above. Panasonic produces not only televisions and cameras, but also laptops, refrigerators, electric bicycles, fans and many other equipment.
By the way, if we talk about laptops, if they have the Windows operating system installed, it will be in Japanese. Moreover, the keyboard is also Japanese; it differs from the traditional one in several additional keys for switching language input method options. Sometimes additional software, such as Microsoft Office, may be installed, and it looks like a sub-option of a particular model. Of course, these programs are also in Japanese. All laptops have a universal power supply, that is, 100-220 volts.
In terms of unusualness and uniqueness, these are, first of all, rice cookers, which are more correctly called cereal cookers. There are various models: from the simplest ones, which can only cook rice, to advanced ones with many programs and start timers. In addition to rice cookers, bread baking machines are also available for sale. The next layer of unusual devices are electric rugs and electric blankets. These products are powered by electricity; heating elements are sewn inside the fabric. Such carpets have different areas; you can not only sit on them, but also place chairs, a table, and some models can even be washed. This includes kerosene heaters. They create heat by burning kerosene supplied from special built-in tanks. Kerosene is poured into them manually, and externally the device looks like a compact stove, with a small digital screen that displays temperature and other parameters.
Another unusual product for Russia is electric toilets. Essentially, this is a nozzle that is put on the toilet, which has heating and other, more intimate, functions built into it.
Robotic vacuum cleaners are also unusual for Russia. This small device moves around the house on its own, collecting dust. The robot can avoid obstacles and independently return to its place after finishing cleaning or to recharge its batteries. The theme is rounded off by various little things, such as flash drives in the shape of sushi or covers and cases for players with a Japanese theme or from Japanese designers.
Cosmetics
As you know, girls and women in Japan pay quite a lot of attention to their appearance, and when it comes to hair and skin care, Japanese women become as scrupulous and attentive as possible. To satisfy their requirements, Japanese cosmetics manufacturers try to combine modern scientific achievements with centuries-old traditions in their products. They actively use extracts of medicinal herbs, the power of which has been tested for centuries.
Therefore, it is not surprising that Japanese cosmetics brands are in demand among modern consumers. Women in many countries are willing to pay a lot of money to be beautiful and healthy. Japanese cosmetics allow them to achieve these goals. The top 5 Japanese cosmetics brands will look like this:
- Shiseido.
- Kanebo.
- Naris Cosmetics.
- MoltoBene.
- Pola.
As for Shiseido, this brand is considered the most popular in Japan and in the world. A distinctive feature of this brand is that the product recipe and production technology are kept in the strictest confidence. Brand manufacturers try to pursue a broad pricing policy, as a result of which you can find both luxury creams and products that are more accessible to the general consumer. It is important to note that Japanese cosmetics manufacturers try not to use chemicals or any of their compounds in their products.
Peculiarities
The automatic washing machine (WMA), produced in Japan for the domestic market, has a number of features that are not typical for export models. Devices exported to European markets do not have such advantages. Differences between machines for domestic consumers:
- Wash in cold water - maximum at +30 °C. But things are washed flawlessly. The Japanese have a developed cult of cleanliness, so the technology is designed for the total elimination of any contamination.
- Short drain hose. Water usually flows by gravity. The washing machine is placed on a tray with a drain - this provides protection against leakage.
The cost of new modifications starts from 1000 USD. They belong to the most expensive segment. Old machines, which can be purchased second-hand, are often vertical, and the powder is placed directly into the drum. Modern versions are front-loading. When buying machines under the Panasonic, Sharp, Shivaki, Akai, Hitachi brands, you run a high risk of purchasing a fake, assembled somewhere in China or Russia. If you believe Yandex.Market, today there are almost no cars from TM from Japan for sale in online stores. Only Sharp is presented with two models at an affordable price - 17,000 and 18,000 rubles.
Technical features:
- Inverter motor - low noise level;
- Touch sensors - recognize the type of laundry being loaded and determine its weight;
- Connection with smartphones, as well as other technical innovations that cannot be found in cheap European analogues.
Perfumery
Japanese philosophy is also reflected in the perfume industry. Since the Japanese are very careful about a person's personal space, you will never find aggressive Japanese perfumes. As a rule, any Japanese perfume is characterized by a light structure and unobtrusive aroma.
When it comes to perfumery in Japan, one cannot fail to mention the famous art of Kodo, which consists of combining different scents into one. These traditions have been preserved in modern perfumery, where one of the main elements is the aroma of incense.
Nowadays, the most famous Japanese brands in perfumery are:
- Ella Mikao.
- Issey Miyake.
- Kusado.
- Kenji Tanake.
Wrist watch
Wristwatches are almost a mandatory accessory for every successful person in the modern world. In this regard, buyers pay special attention to the appearance, quality and durability of this product. All these characteristics are combined in watches of Japanese brands. Let us note that the Made in Japan engraving is the same guarantee of quality for watch connoisseurs as the famous Swiss Made from Swiss manufacturers. Many Russian executives holding high positions wear Japanese-made watches.
The high quality of products and the reliability of watches is also evidenced by the fact that the best Japanese watch brands entered the world market in the middle of the last century and are not giving up their positions. The most famous brands of Japanese watches are:
- Seiko.
- Citizen.
- Casio.
- Orient.
Separately, it is worth mentioning the company Casio. Her fate is the true story of the Japanese desire for success. The company initially produced calculators. After retraining, Casio became a world-famous manufacturer of high-quality and at the same time budget wristwatches. Nowadays, wearing a watch from this brand is considered an indicator of success and high status.
List of major Japanese electronics manufacturers
Aiwa Brother Busicom Casio Citizen Daikin Denon Fujitsu Hitachi Japan Display Kenwood Corporation Mitsubishi Melsec Omron Panasonic Pioneer Corporation Seiko Epson Sharp Sanyo Sony TEAC Terasaki Toshiba Toshiba Samsung Storage Technology Corporation Viera
Household appliances and electronics
Household appliances have long become an integral part of the life of a modern person. We can no longer do without televisions, refrigerators, vacuum cleaners, microwave ovens and other household appliances. As a result, their manufacturers receive huge income from sales. Many Japanese companies managed to enter the world market, which reliably consolidated their success.
Manufacturers of the best Japanese brands of household appliances immediately realized the importance of manufacturing quality products and promoting them to foreign markets. Each company had a different history, but now almost each of them is a huge corporation that makes a huge contribution to the development of the Japanese economy. As a result, in almost every country in the world you can find a Japanese-made refrigerator, TV or digital camera.
The list of popular Japanese electronics brands includes:
- Sony.
- J.V.C.
- Toshiba.
- Canon.
- Sega.
- Nintendo.
The last two brands are very popular among those who grew up at the end of the 20th century, since these were the brands of the first game consoles that entered the domestic market. The remaining companies are engaged in the production of electronics and household appliances, which are especially popular among consumers around the world.
Model overview
Japanese manufacturers prefer the front loading type - they consider the vertical option outdated. The vast majority of modifications have a drying function - this is one of the reasons for their high cost. Let's take a closer look at each TM using the example of one of its models.
Panasonic
Panasonic Corporation was founded in 1918. It has production facilities in China, Indonesia, the Czech Republic, and Ukraine, and sells equipment all over the world. We pay great attention to the environmental friendliness of our products - components are made from materials that do not harm the environment.
The manufacturer offers front-facing machines - simple and spacious.
Panasonic NA-16VX1 Specifications:
| Maximum load, kg | 7 |
| Spin speed rpm | 1000 |
| type of instalation | freestanding |
| Load Type | frontal |
| Tank material | plastic |
| Energy class | A++ |
| Washing class | A |
| Spin efficiency class | A |
| Water consumption, l | 44 |
| Number of programs | 16 |
| Dimensions, (WxDxH), cm | 60x60x85 |
| Weight, kg | 84 |
| Drying | No |
Benefits according to user reviews of the NA-16VX1:
- Low noise level;
- Simple controls;
- Possibility of transformation into built-in;
- Economical consumption of water and electricity;
- Quiet wash.
Disadvantages noticed by consumers:
- Impressive size - does not fit into the doorway;
- Weak shock absorbers;
- Leaks after 5 years of operation;
- Expensive repairs - bearing replacement costs twice as much as other brands;
- Noisy spin;
- High cost of spare parts.
Sharp
Sharp is the largest manufacturer of electronics and computer equipment. Any model from Sharp is an example of quality and the embodiment of innovative technologies. Washing machines presented on the Russian market from the brand are distinguished by a combination of affordable cost, reliability and environmental friendliness.
Characteristics of Sharp ES-FA5102AR:
| Maximum load, kg | 5 |
| Spin speed rpm | 1000 |
| type of instalation | freestanding |
| Load Type | frontal |
| Tank material | plastic |
| Energy class | A |
| Washing class | A |
| Spin efficiency class | WITH |
| Water consumption, l | 45 |
| Number of programs | 16 |
| Dimensions, (WxDxH), cm | 60x40x85 |
| Weight, kg | 62 |
| Drying | No |
The cost of this model is 17,700 rubles. Benefits noted by users:
- Capacity;
- Bubble wash - removes heavy stains;
- Large number of programs;
- Possibility of washing large items;
- After spinning, the clothes are almost dry;
- Program adjustments;
- Anti-allergenic program.
No deficiencies found.
Akai
The company was founded in Tokyo in 1929. It produced electronics and audio equipment. After bankruptcy in 2004, it was bought by the Chinese. Now TM belongs to Grande Group of Hong Kong. Many manufacturers operate under license, so a wide variety of household appliances can be sold under the AKAI brand.
Characteristics of Akai AWM 551 FD:
| Maximum load, kg | 5 |
| Spin speed rpm | 1000 |
| type of instalation | freestanding |
| Load Type | frontal |
| Tank material | plastic |
| Energy class | A |
| Washing class | A |
| Spin efficiency class | WITH |
| Water consumption, l | 45 |
| Number of programs | 16 |
| Dimensions, (WxDxH), cm | 60x54x85 |
| Weight, kg | 64 |
| Drying | No |
Pros:
- Durability - works flawlessly for 10 years or more;
- Luxurious set of programs;
- Removable lid - can be built under the countertop;
- Automatic water level adjustment;
- Time display - you can see how much time is left until the wash is completed;
- Protection against overflow and overheating;
- Selecting spin intensity;
- High quality rinsing.
If you keep the hatch door open and wipe the seal after each wash, the device will not cause problems for its owners.
Hitachi
Hitachi is one of the 50 largest companies in the world. Its name translates as “dawn”. Includes over 20 thousand items of goods. She has implemented many innovative developments in her technology.
Hitachi BD-W75SV BK is a modification of a direct drive washing machine. Low noise level. Black body.
Characteristics:
| Maximum load, kg | 7,5 |
| Spin speed rpm | 1600 |
| type of instalation | freestanding |
| Load Type | frontal |
| Tank material | plastic |
| Energy class | A++ |
| Washing class | A |
| Spin efficiency class | A |
| Water consumption, l | 45 |
| Number of programs | 15 |
| Dimensions, (WxDxH), cm | 60x56x85 |
| Drying | No |
This is a quiet and economical model with a full range of functions, programs and modes. Reliable and durable - able to operate uninterruptedly for several years. Users have not identified any shortcomings with this machine.
Shivaki
Shivaki is a brand that started its journey in 1988. This company was engaged in the production of televisions and other electronic equipment. Since 1994, the trademark has been transferred to the AGIV Group. Today, various equipment is produced under the Shivaki brand, including washing machines. On the Russian market they are represented mainly by top-loading activator-type models. But there are also traditional frontal type SMA. Among them is a small machine Shivaki SWM-LS10.
Its characteristics:
| Maximum load, kg | 3,5 |
| Spin speed rpm | 1000 |
| type of instalation | freestanding |
| Load Type | frontal |
| Tank material | plastic |
| Energy class | A++ |
| Washing class | A |
| Weight, kg | 56 |
| Water consumption, l | 44 |
| Number of programs | 15 |
| Dimensions, (WxDxH), cm | 60x33x85 |
| Drying | No |
This miniature model is suitable for a small family. Judging by the reviews, it fully meets Japanese quality standards - quiet, efficient and reliable.
Cars
The cars are no different from other Japanese products in terms of quality and reliability. That is why a large number of motorists from different countries prefer Japanese car brands. In addition to high quality, vehicles from this country are distinguished by their chic design, comfortable interior and reasonable price. As a result, Japanese cars pose serious competition to European and American ones.
The most famous Japanese car manufacturers are:
- Toyota.
- Lexus.
- Suzuki.
- Mazda.
- Honda.
- Nissan.
- Mitsubichi
Each of these brands has certain advantages that set it apart from the rest and attract potential buyers. Toyota, for example, is famous for its innovative approach using technology that seemed fantastic just a few years ago. The Toyota company relies on a massive marketing campaign for each model, which brings noticeable results. Being a division of Toyota, it produces luxury cars that are distinguished by their excellent appearance and fairly high cost. Other Japanese brands are also highly popular among their target audience.
Ratings
Based on the above, it could be noticed that some brands from Japan are more popular than others. However, it is impossible to create a universal rating that would answer with maximum accuracy which Japanese brand is the most popular. Everything is very relative here.
However, a similar rating can be compiled for each individual industrial sector. Thus, the most popular Japanese brand in the field of cosmetics is Shiseido, in the field of clothing - Uniqlo, perfumes - Issey Miyake, watches - Seiko, cars - Toyota. As for household appliances, the Toshiba brand occupies a leading position, since the profit of this company alone accounts for about 10% of the country's total GDP.
Japanese brands in Russia
As has been mentioned many times before, Japanese products are incredibly popular on the Russian market. Various Japanese-made products are in incredible demand among different groups of the population. To fully understand the full scope of popularity, it is recommended to look at the sales rankings of Japanese cars on the Russian market.
Experts have found that the most popular cars at the beginning of 2021 were vehicles from brands such as Toyota, Mazda and Nissan. Moreover, independent experts claim that sales growth will increase with each subsequent month.
Religious place - Akihabara
Separately, it is worth mentioning the Akihabara area, which has historically been a major sales area for a variety of electronics. The first shops appeared there immediately after the war. This place is now called nothing less than “electronic paradise.” Here you can find both branches of large stores and much smaller retail outlets. They are the ones that are of the greatest interest, since in them you can find something that is no longer available in large chains, for example, discontinued models. They also sell used goods and have departments for specialized electronics, such as professional radios or security equipment. Also in Akihabara you can find sellers who know Russian. For those interested in the anime Akihibara, there is a detailed article.
