Abstract:

Japanese enterprises are approaching business and marketing activities through an international perspective. The internationalized conditions of the environment have made consumers more receptive to foreign products. Foreign products in the Japanese market are beneficiaries of such factors as the trade surplus, the yen's appreciation, expansion of domestic demand, and the market's maturity. This report will present the results of our research on foreign products from the following four points: 1. The attitude of consumers toward foreign countries and products: To Japanese consumers, "foreign product" means something more than its function and quality. 2. The consumer sector that prefers foreign products: There is a segment of Japanese consumers who are very receptive to foreign products. 3. The image positioning of foreign brands: Foreign brands can be divided into four categories from the standpoint of consumers' attitude. 4. The expressions used in advertising foreign products: The advertising expressions can also be classified according to the images of the originating countries and internationality. In conclusion, when marketing a product in Japan it is necessary to "localize" for consumers. This does not mean merely modifying products and advertisements to reflect Japanese tone, it requires an aggressive image-creating strategy to meet the expectations Japanese consumers have for foreign countries and products.