Interbrand announces Best Japan Brands 2018

Interbrand, the world’s largest and most influential brand consultancy, has announced Japan’s Top 40 Best Global Brands (brands with an overseas sales ratio over 30%) and Japan’s Top 40 Best Domestic Brands for 2018 (brands with an overseas sales ratio under 30%). The report ranks the value of brands originating in Japan.

While individual consumer spending has been sluggish, Japan has enjoyed record economic growth for 52 months, the third longest period of growth since World War Two. 

The total monetary value of brands has grown 1.1% in the Japan Top 40 Best Global Brands listing, and decreased 12.2% in the Japan Top 40 Best Domestic Brands ranking, when compared to 2017. The decrease is due to brands transitioning to become Japan Best Global Brands, indicating an increasing globalisation of Japanese brands.

The 2018 rankings are dominated by automotive brands (10 brands), electric appliance brands (5 brands), and financial brands (5 brands). Automotive brands, led by Toyota (JBGB #1, -6% compared with previous year), continued to expand their brand value to drive the overall growth of Japan Best Global Brands and Japan Best Domestic Brands. 

Among financial service brands, SMFG (JBGB #12, -15% compared with previous year) and Mizuho (JBGB #14, -8% compared with previous year) entered the global rankings, increasing the number of financial brands representing Japan within Japan Best Global Brands to three.

Nintendo (JBGB #10, +21 compared with the previous year), Subaru (JBGB #9, +12% compared with the previous year) and Yamaha (JBGB #27, +11% compared with the previous year) improved value by clearly identifying their differentiating brand factors and working to enhance them.

In 2017, Interbrand included Sri Lanka in its global Best Brands list, a compilation of brand tables that valuate the world’s top country brands. 

The valuations are overlooked by Brand Valuation Global Director Mike Rocha in Interbrand London. All country brand valuations use the same methodology as Interbrand Best Global Brands, the most prestigious brand ranking table globally and the definitive guide to the world’s 100 most valuable brands.