Fake Japanese Products on Russian Shelves Aim to Exploit Brand Image

In Russia, there is an increasing number of products labeled with Japanese text or designed to resemble Japanese imports. This trend is particularly noticeable in food and household items. Following sanctions related to the Ukraine war, Japan's imports to Russia have decreased. Russian companies appear to be leveraging Japan's strong reputation for quality to boost their sales. However, the rise of low-quality counterfeits could jeopardize Japan's global brand and reputation.

Japanese Labels

In a Moscow supermarket, a laundry detergent called "純度" (Purity) was found on the shelves. The instructions and ingredients on the back of the bottle were entirely in Japanese. They were accompanied by a sticker with a Russian translation, as is common with imported goods. 

However, a closer inspection revealed that both the listed manufacturer and distributor were Russian companies. Attempts to contact the manufacturer by phone went unanswered, and emails inquiring about the product received no response.

Other products also show this trend:

• Baby diapers branded "洋子さん" (Ms Yoko) bearing the phrase "Japan Quality" in English.
• A kitchen knife brand named "女主" (onnaaruji).
• Coffee powder called "武士道" (Bushido) with the Japanese characters "品格誇り知," which don't form a coherent phrase but are likely intended to convey something like "pride in high quality," alongside the phrase "Japan Best Quality" in English.
• Canned beer labeled "最初のレシピ" (First Recipe) and "Imported" in Japanese, with "Traditional Japanese Beer" in English.
• A mirin-like seasoning labeled "みりん麩ソース" (mirin fu sauce).

The unusual Japanese on these packages would appear odd to native speakers. They were likely generated by machine translation.

Priced Higher than Russian Goods

Furthermore, these products are typically priced higher than Russian-made goods, yet remain widely available in supermarkets. This indicates a significant number of Russian consumers are drawn to them.

A closer examination of the labels often reveals, in small print, that these products were manufactured outside Japan, in countries like China or Southeast Asia. 

While brands like "Miss Yoko" and "Onnaaruji" state on their websites that they use Japanese materials or are manufactured in China, it is unclear how many consumers notice these details.

A report published by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) Moscow office in September noted that cup noodles made in South Korea were being sold with Japanese katakana characters reading "Noodle." The packaging included preparation instructions and nutrition information entirely in Japanese, without any Korean text. This reflects a clear attempt to boost sales by associating with Japan.

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A Surge Following Sanctions

Products made to appear Japanese-made were sold in Russia even before Japan imposed sanctions on Moscow following its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. 

However, Tetsuya Umezu, director of the JETRO Moscow office, noted, "From what I remember, products designed to mislead consumers into thinking they are Japanese-made started becoming more prominent around the second half of 2022."

According to Umezu, Japan has traditionally held brand power in Russia for products such as electronics, automobiles, and industrial machinery. Over the past decade, Japanese pop culture, including anime and manga, has also gained popularity in Russia. 

Umezu explained, "Although I cannot make any definitive statements, it is possible that Russian companies are attempting to leverage Japan's positive image in Russia."

A representative from a major Japanese trading firm in Moscow expressed concern about this troubling trend. They noted, "If more Russian and international consumers mistakenly purchase these goods thinking they are Japanese, it could harm Japan's global brand and reputation.

They continued, "The spread of counterfeit Japanese goods shows that sectors once dominated by Japanese companies are now being overtaken by Russian and third-country firms."

Should sanctions on Russia eventually be lifted and Japanese businesses return to the Russian market, they may face significant hurdles in regaining consumer trust and reestablishing market share.

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(Read the article in Japanese.)

Author: Yuichi Onoda, The Sankei Shimbun

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