The arrogant Japanese technicians crashed on world financial crisis

Captious Japanese buyers, which were also affected by the economic crisis, are gradually changing their attitude towards inexpensive electronics from unknown foreign manufacturers. Many of them have found that with the essential difference in price, many home appliances and electronic devices are assembled of similar components, and offer similar functionality. Little-known manufacturers of computers, home appliances and consumer electronics, such as Chinese Company Haier and Taiwanese AsusTek, have gradually strengthened their position in the Japanese market having pressed such monstrous competitors as Sony and Panasonic. Representatives of Nikkei Market Access (research department of one of the largest in Japanese business newspaper Nikkei) have estimated that this year buyers plan to reduce their costs in third for the purchase of computer equipment compared to last year. And analyst Shinya Torihama from Okasan Securities is sure that the products of previously unknown companies will be in stable demand, until they are comparable to the quality of “brand” products. “Japanese buyers are still making extremely high demands for quality of goods, but now they are also looking more attentively at the price”, - explains Torihama.
For example, on the shelves of Tokyo Seiyu trade center (local name of Wal-Mart stores) can be found both Chinese washing machines from Haier with the cost of $ 200 and Panasonic equipment with the cost amounting to $ 1'400.
Curious statistics on sales of computer technology has been provided by BCN company. A couple years ago, laptops, manufactured abroad, held only two positions in the list of most sold portable PC in Japan. Today “hot dozen” includes the names of the six foreign companies: including Taiwanese manufacturers Acer and AsusTek, Chinese company Lenovo Group, and also American company Dell, Apple and Gateway (now owned by Acer Corporation).
About 77 percent of purchased by Japanese “mini notebooks” are manufactures in Taiwan. However, local manufactures of desktops and modern electronics (e.g., 50-inch TVs) are still retaining their leadership in the market. Japanese companies are trying to restrain the onrush by reducing prices on “basic equipment” (such as toasters and simple washing machines), and also by improving the functionality of “high-end”-products. For example, modern refrigerators have learned to kill the bacteria, each second washing machine can boast of the presence of energy-saving mode, and high-tech air-conditioners care for moistening the skin. Where such competitive activity will lead, remains to be seen, says mobile-tech-today.com.