When people around the world think of what Japan does best, robot technology tops the list, beating out anime and washoku Japanese cuisine, according to a survey by advertising giant Dentsu.
This year's "Japan Brand" survey by Dentsu Inc. points to growing international interest in Japanese robotics, the No. 1 choice for what global consumers believe "Japan is good at," followed by cars and motorcycles in second place and high-precision technology in third.
Falling from second place in 2014, anime and manga finished in fourth, while Japanese cuisine rose from seventh place to fifth.
Robotics also jumped to ninth place on the list of things consumers worldwide think are most "interesting about Japan."
Japanese fashion, which ranked third last year in what foreigners find interesting, disappeared from the top 10, while onsen hot springs climbed into third place, up from fifth.
The annual Internet survey targeted 4,000 consumers with a mid-level income or higher in 20 countries, including the United States, China, South Korea, Indonesia, the United Kingdom and France.
Vietnam and Taiwan emerged as nations and regions "most friendly to Japan," with the largest number of respondents answering they "like" Japan. Vietnam ranked first for the second year in a row.
