Q8 Which is more knowledgeable about Japan: the U.S. West Coast or East Coast?

How is Japan, constantly changing, perceived by the world? How is the "Japan Brand" – its tourism, food, products, and more – evaluated overseas?

This article introduces findings from the "Japan Brand Survey 2017," conducted in 20 countries and regions worldwide from February to March 2017. This installment focuses on "Comparing East and West Coast America."

A. "Japanophiles" are West Coasters. They're interested in Japan's nature and cosplay! East Coasters are more active.

Even within the United States, the West Coast and East Coast differ in culture and preferences. In terms of favorability and intention to visit Japan, the West Coast scored over 10 points higher than the East Coast in both cases.
Interest in Japanese things was also higher overall on the West Coast, with a particularly large gap between the coasts for "cosplay."

Regarding interest in activities in Japan (things they want to do while traveling), "Eating Japanese food" ranked first and "Shopping" second for both regions.
However, looking at other items, the West Coast showed higher popularity for "experiencing the four seasons" and "attending stage performances" compared to the East. Conversely, the East Coast is characterized by greater popularity for active pursuits like "strolling through downtown areas" and "driving/cycling."

It seems that on the West Coast, people are more inclined to enjoy seeing Japan's nature and culture, while on the East Coast, more people want to experience Japan's towns and spaces by moving around on their own.

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<Japan Brand Survey 2017 Overview>
● Purpose: To understand overseas consumers' perceptions and actual behavior regarding the overall "Japan Brand"—including Japanese food, tourism, and Japanese products—and support corporate marketing activities.
●Target Areas: 20 countries/regions
China (Group A = Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou; Group B = Shenzhen, Tianjin, Chongqing, Suzhou, Wuhan, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Dalian, Xi'an, Qingdao), Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, India, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines, Australia, USA, Canada, Brazil, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Russia
※East Asia (China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea)
※ASEAN (Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines)

●Survey Method: Internet survey
●Respondent criteria: Men and women aged 20–59 in the middle-income bracket and above
※Definition of "middle-income": Conditions set per country based on national average income (OECD statistics) and social class classification (SEC)
●Sample size: China: 200 respondents each for A and B groups, total 400 respondents; USA: 400 respondents; Other regions: 200 respondents each, total 4,400 respondents
●Survey Period: February 13 to March 10, 2017

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Dentsu Inc. Team Cool Japan
A cross-functional project team established by Dentsu Inc. to promote 'Cool Japan-related initiatives'—expanding products and services leveraging Japanese culture and strengths into overseas markets. Dentsu Inc. also invests in the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's Cool Japan Organization (fund). The team brings together client company representatives for overseas expansion, media and content specialists, overseas subsidiary network managers, producers, and planners to work on initiatives promoting Japan's appeal globally.