A new poll has found that, while Japanese stationeries are the most popular, Japanese products are the best-selling and most versatile, with the exception of their pens.
The survey, commissioned by Japanese retailer Ikea, found that over 80 per cent of respondents said that Japanese stationers are “a very important part of everyday life,” with over half saying that they’re the most important product they own.
Only around 30 per cent said they were the most “important” to them, with another 10 per cent choosing the pen.
“It is important to keep in mind that Japanese products have a different taste than American products, but they have a lot of similarities, which we see in the way that Japanese is used,” said the survey’s lead researcher and author, Hiroshi Nakajima, in a statement.
“Japanese products are not only a great investment for consumers, but also for Japanese businesses,” he added.
The findings were backed up by a recent survey by research firm Nikkei Securities, which found that more than 40 per cent were satisfied with Japanese brands, with a further 30 per 100 saying they would buy Japanese-made products again.
“We’re confident that we can reach a global audience with our new products,” Nakajime said in the statement.
The most popular products are pencils, and the Japanese brand PenaPen has the most pen sales in the survey, with more than 5,000 pens sold in the first quarter of 2018.
The poll was conducted online among more than 10,000 respondents from across the globe.
The results of the survey are expected to be released on Wednesday.