Buy European

Cant really talk about product quality but from a social perspective, which I can see pretty clearly given I have worked for a major Japanese conglomerate and spent a lot of time with Japanese "expats" across Europe, it's very far behind Europe on social aspects.

There is a lot of misogyny, racism, hierarchy, classism and conservatism. Theres no recognition, acceptance or real change done in relation to the horrors carried out in WW2.

Part of the reason for their very low birth rate is their poor treatment of working women and extreme tough stance on immigration or refugees. Their working culture is horrendous generally.

Young people are pushing back and trying to change things so if it's a small, modern company they may be OK. However, if you care for social issues then avoid the major conglomerates that run most of the economy.

On the plus side, they are very good at technical engineering and really care about their (Japanese) workers, which still have jobs for life.

Made in Japan became a sign of quality for a reason. I don't own much Japanese products, but they're usually good

I generally trust Japanese companies. They usually have a core value to make a product that they are proud of and a product that fits humans. Hobonichi, for example, they update their product every year. They look improve their quality but also usability. There’s also a focus around joy of using a product not just luxury.

Sodateru, a towel company, is similar. They give hand written notes with your towel which is thoughtful. I also am fond of Zojirushi, Ricoh EMOOR, and Pilot pens. I use products from these companies every day.

Luxury isn’t always tied with Joy in the West. Luxury is often just tied with expense or material only. But I find that joy is very important to me when using a product. More-so than expense or material. If the product is not joyful to use then it won’t be a good experience no matter how much money was spent.

So, if I can see a Japanese company is committed to making a great product, that is also joyful to use, then I will favor that brand.

Because of this I look forward to buying products from Japanese companies more than Western brands.

Japan is an advanced democratic country that supports human rights and the rule of law. They’re cool in my book.

Japanese, Korean and even some Taiwanese products are very good. They also make tat but in general it's still better than the chinesium stuff.

Japanese stuff is just really high quality. From cars to batteries.

They make some of the best pens out there.

A lot of products sold in Japan are made in China. But if you’re specifically talking about made in Japan products, it really really depends the industry.

I have a Japanese rice cooker (neuro fuzzy rice cooker by zojirushi) and goddamn it is good.

I know Panasonic was a Japanese company and my microwave is by them as well. (I admittedly splurged and got a fancy model second hand but it is the most ridiculously impressive microwave I've ever owned and I can't go back.)

Japanese cars are the best in my opinion.

That's a BIG question! I mean, traditional arts and related products (like silicone or acrylic bentos) are generally really good, clothes are, as everywhere, from fabulously made and expensive to crap that falls apart if you sneeze at it from across the road, and there is WAY too much kawaii in everything, just -- ewwww! Stationary and office supplies tend to be better quality, but personal stationary, like fashion and interior design, suffers from terminal cutes. Anime and manga have become, imho, really repetitive and derivative,and if I see one more tourist souvenir featuring Hokusai's Great Wave, I will, so help me Daikini Shinten, invoke every tanuki pretending to be a tea pot to come tear every last copy to tiny bits of random fluff.

Now, where was I.... Oh, yeah. Good ceramics in Kappabashi.

Varying quality like any other country’s products