| This is page-24 (A6) of the January-14th issue. This is the weekly featured article entitled 'CLUBROOM GOSSIP' and contains a paragraph regarding the 'shoddy imitations' of bicycles and accessories that Japan was exporting to England since about 1932. It should be remembered that England and America was at war with Japan at this time. I can confirm that the majority of Japanese bicycles and parts/accessories that were exported to America in the early 1950's were of inferior quality. I later learned that the American buyers would take or send items to a Japanese company and ask 'HOW CHEAP CAN YOU MAKE THIS'? The company would design a similar appearing product but in order to satisfy the buyer's requirements of low price, would use inferior materials. When I first went to Japan to try to find factories that could produce high quality bicycles and related products, I learned that the Japanese desired to sell high quality products if the buyer would pay enough for the product to enable the quality materials to be used. It was in 1963 and the ensuing years that Japan started producing high quality parts for American Eagle (later changed to Nishiki) bicycles. Companies like Shimano, SunTour, DiaCompe, Sugino, Taihei, Araya, Sakae-Ringyo, Kyokuto, Mikashima, IRC and others, all cooperated with me because we were willing to pay a fair price for good quality products. |
