To quote a famous line:
Doc - No wonder this circuit failed, it says 'Made in Japan'
Marty - Whadaya mean, Doc? All the best stuff is Made in Japan
I grew up in an average household in your run of the mill average developing country. I recall in the early 80’s my father bought a Hitachi colour TV, shortly after a National top loader VCR. I recall the VCR was worked fine until the late-90’s, and was retired due to lack of tapes and popularity of VCDs, not a fault. I got my first Walkman in 1985, a Sony WM-22. Sad as it sounds, my best friend, till it’s rubbers gave way around 1997 (I wasn’t too techy at the time, else would have surely repaired it). All this stuff was Made in Japan.
When I started earning for myself in the late nineties and moved out and started buying my stuff the transition away from Japan to other Asian plants had begun. Bought a Sony TV paired with a Panasonic VCR, both assembled outside Japan, lasted 3-4 years max. Rinsed and repeated a few times over the years… Was fortunate to bag a 2nd hand Made in Japan Sony HiFi FH-B7CD in the late-90’s, still works perfectly to this day. Even survived a trip in a suitcase when I migrated down under…
Most of the stuff I buy these days always seem to have a life expectancy of 3-4 years max, if lucky. Although I try to (as sanely possible) seek Made in Japan stuff, my last success was a Panasonic Plasma VT55 series TV back in 2011, touchwood still going strong.
- Would you pay a bit extra to get a Made in Japan item, like the glory days of the 80’s to early 2000’s?
- Or is it a lost hope?
- Or will Japanese companies someday realise if they could (profitably) manufacture in Japan again, people might buy their stuff with added zeal?
Interested to hear some opinions…
The real problem is stuff is built to a price point, rather than to last. Once a country becomes too expensive to manufacture in companies head to the next country that really doesn't give a stuff about their people or the environment. I try to buy quality so it lasts a while, but you can always get a lemon and because, even the expensive stuff, tends to have a short warranty you are stuffed when it goes belly up.
In Myer at Chadstone, near the electrical section, there is a wall that shows the price of goods when Chaddy was first opened. The price of a TV was absolutely horrendous, compared to other goods. Now it might cost you a couple of weeks, maybe a months, wage.
I studied Brave New World in High School;
"Ending is better than mending. The more stitches, the less riches."
A government slogan encouraging people to throw away old possessions and buy new ones, thus theoretically keeping the global economy strong.
Very few people get electrical items repaired nowdays, it just does not make economic sense. Even if something does last it is replaced with later versions of the technology. Everything adds up to a great pile of ewaste.