I guess the assumption is that because the Japanese car makers built a better vehicle in 1980 than most US mfg's we should now wish for Japanese made products. It's an interesting view about folk's perception of quality and how that can be tied to a Nation. It's also interesting that the memory of that automobile mfg. situation 35 years ago can hang on and to morph into a belief that Japanese mfg is superior to US or any other Nation.
When I was a kid, anything built in Japan had just the opposite quality connotation attached, it was perceived to be junk goods. Today, many perceive Chinese goods to be of inferior quality.
A sad truth about US shoppers is that we shop by price and not the durability or quality of the item. Our stores are filled with banners proclaiming "Sale" or "Clearance". Go to any other country and this isn't the case. Shoppers inspect very intently at what they're buying and price is a secondary consideration.
