Japanese leather craftsman bemoans decline of industry
11/02/2014
This is despite a government push to rekindle the skills by funding projects including the Taito Designers Village collection of studios.
“I saw so many craftspeople whose kids didn’t want to continue the business,” Mr Nakano told the Japan Times. “No one wanted to pay the craftsmen fair prices, there was just too much alternative stuff.”
Many gave up to become taxi drivers as production was moved to China, he said.
While he makes a living as the sole employee of his business, His-Factory, he says he knows of Japanese brands that sew labels in that say ‘made in Japan’ when the goods have been manufactured in China.
“Everyone says their products are ‘made in Japan’,” he explained. “But it’s not really true.”
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