it took Japan about 25 years of very directed industrial strategy to take the "made in Japan" label from indicating junk to the average American, to indicating a premium/reliable product. China might get there in even less than 25 years but you'll probably still find people holding onto old "chinesium" beliefs long after they should

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Marsymars 4 hours ago | parent | next [-]

A key for Japan is also that for various product categories, they don't export (or maybe manufacture at all - I'm just not really familiar with their non-export goods) low-quality goods - I assume because it isn't economical to compete at the low end of the market.

Even though China can compete at the top of many markets, they still also compete at the bottom, which taints their reputation.

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jacquesm 4 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Japan never was a threat during that time to countries around it. China is very much a threat to other countries around it and I would feel pretty bad about materially financing yet another war.

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tmnvix 3 hours ago | parent | next [-]

I'm beginning to feel this way about the US. Much more comfortable with Chinese foreign policy at this point. At this point, going on the past 50 years or so, it would take something quite extraordinary on China's part to convince me they are going to abuse their power as much as the US has so far. Hopefully I'm not simply being naive.

	▲	bluGill 2 hours ago \| parent [-]
		You need to pay better attention. I hate what Trump is doing to US foriegn policy - but it is still better than China, and there is hope that things will change in the future as elections continue. China doesn't even have that hope. China is clearly supporting Russia in Ukraine. China is clearly making plans to invade Tiawas (that alone makes them just as bad as the US, even if it hasn't happened yet).

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woooooo 2 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

If we add up "damage to countries around it" in the previous hundred years, I think Japan doesn't look so great.

China conducted one several-week war against Vietnam and annexed Tibet, both over 50 years ago. Other than the longstanding dispute with Taiwan, who are they threatening? Some quibbles over a few Himalayan mountains with India?

	▲	jabl 25 minutes ago \| parent \| next [-]
		They seem quite intent on inching their border closer to the Philippines mainland by building military bases on some shoals that belong to the Philippines.
	▲	fooker 38 minutes ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		> Some quibbles Two wars.

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idiotsecant 2 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Haha that little 'during that time' is doing some heavy lifting there. You don't think there might have been some slight lingering resentment and fear that the slouching monster that Japan was during WWII would come back? I think Japan's neighbors might have felt 'pretty bad' too, but it didn't matter. In the end the money wins.