If you're a consumer in one of the world's developed economies and you think that Japan is full of powerhouse exporters, you're right. Hitachi, Panasonic, Sony, Toyota - many Japanese multinationals became household names in the second half of the 20th century. If you're a consumer in an emerging market, though, you probably don't view Japanese companies the same way. In fact, it's possible that you have never used a product made by one of those giants.