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From the cell phones we talk on to the cars we drive, modern America no longer thinks twice when it’s using Japanese products. However, this was not always the case. Due to the rapidly growing international shift toward globalization, Japanese products now play a role in our everyday lives.  Globalization is a path taken by  many Japanese companies. From those who are just trying to survive to those who are flourishing and looking to make an even larger profit, globalization is now becoming a prime strategy for many Japanese companies.

Though the reasons why Japanese companies have become such a globalized force are vast and complicated, there are definite trends that have become apparent when examining the expansion of Japanese Companies into the US market.  Compared to most countries whose investment strategies primarily focus on short-term profitability, Japanese companies have proven to focus more on sales and growth-oriented results. Further, Japanese companies, now more so than before, do not alter their products dramatically to fit the needs of foreign markets as much as other companies do.  Their innovation and originality have proven more beneficial than not.  Also, Japanese companies tend to strategically improve products that already exist in order to derive more satisfaction for current customer needs rather than try to create new products to address needs not previously met (Kotabe).

 

https://hinaa323.jux.com/735960 [Photograph Courtesy of apple94/Flickr]

There are many things that go into deciding how to enter the country. This includes cultural distance, geographic distance, the stability the country’s economy, and potential future relations. For over a century now though, Japanese companies have had the luxury of dominating almost every sphere of the market they have entered. From electronics to television shows, Japan is learning now to essentially become a crowd pleaser to foreign markets. So much so in fact, that most Japanese products and services in the United States now have little to nothing to do with Japanese traditional culture at all. There essentially “Exists a Japan for Japanese and a Japan for the rest of the world (Mcgray).” Though Japan has collapsed numerous times as a political and economic power, its products and influences continue to find their way into our shelves, our homes, and our hearts.

So why have some Japanese companies become so successful in the US market while others haven’t? What techniques do those successful companies implement? Are we getting the same benefits of these companies as those who purchase their products in Japan? What does using Japanese products mean for us as consumers? Expan Japan looks into revealing just that.

Resources for all the facts above can be found on resources page

https://expanjapan.wordpress.com/political-impact/

https://expanjapan.wordpress.com/cultural-impact/

https://expanjapan.wordpress.com/background/