What Kind of People Are Japan Fans Around the World? ~China Edition~

Dentsu Inc.'s "Team Cool Japan" conducted the "Japan Brand Survey 2018" across 20 countries and regions worldwide from January to February 2018. Based on the survey results, this series has explored business insights for visitors to Japan over seven installments.

Furthermore, we compiled these findings into country-specific strategy sheets, summarizing the tendencies of Japan-interested individuals in each nation. Each sheet features shopping insights on one side and travel/experience insights on the other, providing a single-page overview of Japan fans in each country.

To conclude the series, we present a partial example from the China edition. Let's examine what kind of people Chinese fans of Japan are.

Q: What do you prioritize when traveling?

The top three are: "Plenty of tourist spots," "Delicious food," and "Experiencing the country's unique culture." While China is strongly associated with shopping, for Japan enthusiasts, recommending major tourist spots and delicious Japanese cuisine seems like a good approach.

Q What do you want to experience in regional areas?

Beyond the classic Japanese tourism staples like hot springs and cherry blossoms, experiences ranked higher than the global average included "autumn foliage," "skiing," and "sake/shochu."

Search trends among Chinese users published by Baidu also show high search rankings for Hokkaido hot springs and Japanese sake, indicating the popularity of skiing and alcohol. The style of enjoying Japanese sake while experiencing Japan's four seasons may be particularly appealing to connoisseurs.

※1 2017 Search Trends Ranking for Chinese Visitors to Japan
https://www.baidu.jp/info/press/jp/171226.html

Q: What is your budget for overseas travel?

Converted at 1 yen = 0.058 CNY※2, the most common budget is ¥350,000 to ¥400,000. Compared to other Asian regions, budgets for overseas travel tend to be higher, with 80% of respondents indicating budgets of ¥300,000 or more. This suggests a level of spending that could lead to active consumption of goods and experiences in Japan.

※2 Refers to the Chinese Yuan.

Q What is the image of Made in Japan (Japanese products)?

"Seems carefully crafted," "Delicate/meticulous," and "High performance" rank highly. Globally, Japanese products are often perceived as high-functioning and high-quality, but among Japanese fans in China, the image of meticulously crafted products seems even stronger.

Starting next year, the Golden Sports Years※3 will see increasingly active initiatives by government, local authorities, and businesses targeting visitors to Japan.

This concludes our series on the "Japan Brand Survey 2018." We hope the survey results help you understand the insights and trends of visitors to Japan and overseas fans of Japan, enabling you to apply this knowledge to various initiatives.

※3 Refers to the three-year period starting in 2019, featuring a succession of international sporting events: the Rugby World Cup (2019), the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games (2020), and the World Masters Games (2021).

Country-Specific Strategy Sheet: China Edition

(Front / Shopping Edition)

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Overview of the 2018 Japan Brand Survey
● Purpose: To understand overseas consumers' perceptions and actual behavior regarding "Japan Brand" in general—including Japanese food, tourism, and Japanese products—and support corporate marketing activities.
●Target Areas: 20 countries and 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, United States (Northeast, Midwest, South, West), Canada, Brazil, United Kingdom, 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, etc.) and social class classification (SEC)
●Sample size: China: 300 each for A and B groups, total 600; USA: 600; Other regions: 300 each, total 6,600
●Survey Period: January 12 to February 16, 2018

Dentsu Inc. Team Cool Japan
A cross-functional project team established by Dentsu Inc. to advance 'Cool Japan-related initiatives'—expanding products and services leveraging Japanese culture and strengths into overseas markets. It brings together client company representatives for overseas expansion, media and content specialists, overseas subsidiary network managers, producers, and planners to promote Japan's appeal globally.