Over the years certain companies have found success here in Japan, including Nestle (they celebrate a century of selling coffee and interesting flavors of Kit Kat this year) and Aflac (they were a tiny regional insurance company until one of their founders visited Japan in 1970 and, impressed by the way people wore health masks in public, decided to expand into Japan). Another company to really win big in Japan has been Disney, which has become well established in the hearts of everyone here. Japan has the most profitable Disney theme park in the world (Tokyo Disneyland), which opened in 1983 and has broken all profit records thanks to the Japanese willingness to wait in 3-hour lines to go on rides and spend an average of $300 per guest on gifts. There are many “Disney otakus” in Japan, fans who hunt for rare Disney-themed products, and I’ve seen TV shows in which fans are quizzed on their knowledge of Disney lore. You can even get a Disney-themed smartphone with the new line of Disney-branded phones from Softbank which are being heavily advertised using the song from Cinderella (“A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes”).
Disney is one of the most successful companies in Japan.
