For the time period of January to June 2007, the National Police Agency in Japan seized 331,136 counterfeit items, a record for a six month period.  The total figure seized is already higher then the total number of seizures in all of 2006.

A large portion of the counterfeit goods originated from China.

Of fake brand goods, including bags and watches, 98.9 percent were manufactured overseas, with 45.7 percent brought in from China, 37.2 percent from South Korea and 16.0 percent from Hong Kong. Of all counterfeit goods, 67.9 percent were brought into Japan as maritime cargo and 28.2 percent by air.

According to our research, Japan loses an estimated 75 billion dollars to counterfeit goods.  

For more on this market, please visit our Counterfeit and Piracy page.