From Japan to the World???

There is a new chain of stores that has been popping up throughout Mexico City (and I have also seen one in Puebla).  It is called Miniso.  It is supposedly a Japanese chain, and its slogan is "From Japan to the World".  I have previously been inside the store on the ground floor of the Latin American Tower as well as the one in Puebla.  On this trip I noticed a brand-new, three-story Miniso along Insurgentes Avenue.  

The other day I checked the new store out.  It is bright, slick and modern and sells a wide variety of products from cosmetics to housewares to toys.  I looked to see where the products were from.  In some cases the price tag covered the label giving the country of origen.  But on other items, in small print, the label said "Made in China".  I found nothing that was made in Japan.

When I got back to the apartment, I did some research on the company.  It was founded jointly by a Japanese designer and a Chinese entrepreneur.  It claims to be a Japanese brand, but its first retail presence was in mainland China, and the majority of its stores still operate there.  It has opened a thousand stores worldwide.  According to Wikipedia its products have been criticized as "made in China to look Japanese".

Ha!  So much for Japan coming to Mexico.  

I shall continue to buy products that are "Hecho en México" when I am shopping.  And fortunately, in spite of plenty of Chinese imports, it is not too difficult to find Mexican made items.