It’s always interesting to compare the differences between Japan and the rest of the world. In America, many products like Coca-Cola, Dr. Pepper, Wrigley’s gum and Tootsie Rolls have been around for over a century, some since the Civil War, and they continue to dominate in their respective categories decade after decade. Japanese consumers, however, seem to favor new products when they shop, forcing manufacturers to come up with fresh ideas at a faster pace. While there are some solid Japanese standbys that never change — Original Pocky, or Peko-chan Milky Candy — any visit to a Japanese conbini (convenience store) is sure you bring you into contact with a dozen or so products you’ve never seen before, like the brand-new Fanta Furu-Furu Shaker, a can of orange Fanta with gelatin in the can that makes it rather difficult to drink. The Japanese beer industry is another example: even in the small-town liquor store that my wife’s parents operate, I constantly see new twists on Japanese beer being sold, like beer formulated for ladies, or beer with dietary fiber added, or beer that tries to appear “green” and somehow friendly to nature. I’ve been told that this is because the Japanese themselves have short attention spans, and move onto the next big thing rather quickly. While it’s always nice to find an innovative new flavor of Kit Kat or a new twist on Doritos, it’s also good to have a core of old favorites that never change.
