Have you noticed? After nine years, a warning once issued by Japanese media is now becoming reality.

In 2017, after secretly visiting China, Japanese media reached a conclusion that made Japan’s industrial circles uneasy: China had already achieved the world’s top production volume in eight product categories—refrigerators, washing machines, drones, surveillance cameras, televisions, and more. At the time, the Japanese media were sounding an alarm for Japanese enterprises—"the wolf is coming"—but few took it seriously.

Nine years later, this prophecy is being verified by multiple vivid examples.

Starting from 2023, Japanese media have done something unprecedented: they began purchasing Chinese-made vehicles whole, then dismantling them to study their chassis, batteries, electric drive systems, thermal management systems, and other components. In the end, they compiled their findings into a two-volume book priced at 880,000 yen, sold exclusively to engineers at Japanese automakers. Given that Japan’s automotive industry has long regarded itself as the global technology beacon, the fact that it now needs to buy Chinese cars just to take them apart speaks volumes—no translation needed.

Market data also supports this assessment. The sales figures for Toyota, Honda, and Nissan in China dropped from 4.72 million units in 2019 to 3.08 million last year, with their market share plummeting from 25% to just 12%. Meanwhile, Chery’s engine thermal efficiency has reached 48.57%, surpassing Toyota’s 44.5%—a milestone long held by Japanese automakers as their final technological stronghold.

The home appliance sector no longer even requires disassembly. Currently, 60% of appliances on Japanese retail shelves are Chinese brands. Domestically, the situation is even more pronounced—domestic brands now capture over 85% of the market share. Data shows that as of June 20th, the nationwide "old-for-new" replacement program has driven sales exceeding 1 trillion yuan, with domestic home appliances taking center stage. On platforms like VIP.com, sales of Chinese home appliances such as Midea, Ecovacs, and Tineco have surged noticeably. With national subsidies combined with platform discounts, some appliances are selling at nearly half their original price—clearly demonstrating how effectively domestic brands are attracting consumption back home.

If in 2017 Japanese media warned about China's production dominance, their concern was still limited to “losing market share to Chinese companies.” But six years later, buying Chinese cars, disassembling them, photographing every part, and writing books to analyze them—this is no longer about market share. It’s about a shift in technological authority.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1871867239148800/

Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of its author.