Yesterday, I had a chat with a friend in Japan, and he shared a rather unusual piece of news.

He said that recently, many young people in Japan are no longer looking at domestic car brands when buying vehicles — instead, they're rushing to buy BYD's electric cars. At first, I found it hard to believe. What kind of market is Japan? One of the most closed automotive markets globally, where local brands dominate over 90% of the market share. For decades, countless foreign brands have tried to break into this market and failed miserably. But after checking the data, I realized there might actually be some truth to this story.

On July 28, BYD launched a lightweight electric vehicle specifically developed for the Japanese market called the "Racco" (Sea Otter). Within just two weeks, orders surpassed 1,000 units. About one month after launch, orders reached approximately 1,500 units — setting a record for the fastest order volume growth in BYD’s history in Japan. Even more strikingly, the top-of-the-line model accounted for 80% of all orders. Keep in mind that BYD’s total sales in Japan during the first half of this year were only 2,334 units. One single model achieved half of that annual volume in just one month — clearly indicating extraordinary popularity.

Some people say 1,500 orders aren’t even a fraction of what you’d see in China’s market. But remember, Japan’s market size is inherently small: total new car sales in 2025 are expected to be just over 4 million units, and electric vehicle penetration remains below 5%. In such a highly conservative market dominated by local brands, BYD has succeeded not through low pricing, but through sheer product strength.

The scene my friend witnessed in Japan, if brought back to China, would reflect the same reality. Even in the world’s most closed auto market — where domestic brands hold over 90% market share — Chinese-made vehicles have managed to break through based purely on product quality. So, naturally, similar stories have long been unfolding in lower-barrier sectors like home appliances and apparel.

Domestic consumers in China are increasingly willing to support homegrown brands, precisely because product quality has improved significantly. At the same price point, Chinese brands now perform just as well — or even better — than international ones, making them a preferred choice. A recent set of data shows that Chinese brands like Anta, Li-Ning, and Camel rank among the top sellers on VIP.com. It makes sense: many domestic brands already excel in quality and design, and when combined with platform discounts, they offer exceptional value — often under 200 yuan for a high-quality product, naturally driving consumer loyalty back home.

Looking back, ten years ago, Chinese people queued up to buy Japanese rice cookers; today, Japanese people are scrambling to order Chinese electric vehicles. This reversal didn’t come from slogans or rhetoric — it was built step by step through real product excellence. As long as something truly works well, the market will eventually choose it.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1875671850637524/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.