The news that Osaka Customs intercepted more than 9,000 shipments of counterfeit branded goods and pirated products last year for the fourth consecutive year shows that the problem of counterfeit goods is not a temporary phenomenon, but has already become entrenched. The numbers alone are alarming, but what is particularly noteworthy this time is that the targets of counterfeiting are no longer limited to luxury brand items. They now extend to children’s products, merchandise related to popular characters, and even goods connected to high-profile events and famous public figures.
In the past, when people thought of counterfeit goods, many probably imagined expensive items such as handbags and watches. Recently, however, counterfeit products have been making their way into more casually purchased, everyday items. The fact that counterfeit goods now extend even to children’s products such as character stickers means that intellectual property infringement has become much more familiar to consumers while also becoming harder to detect. Products aimed at children are also an area where parents may let their guard down, thinking that the price is low enough not to warrant concern. If counterfeiters are increasingly targeting that space, the problem is all the more serious.
Another emerging pattern is how quickly highly topical items are turned into counterfeits. The appearance of fake products related to the Expo and famous athletes suggests that counterfeiters are extremely quick to identify rising public interest and move into areas where demand is forming. This is not merely opportunistic marketing. It is the unauthorized exploitation of popularity, trust, and brand value themselves. The essence of intellectual property infringement lies in the fact that the credibility and image painstakingly built over time by legitimate rights holders are monetized by unrelated third parties.
What also cannot be overlooked is the way the convenience of overseas online shopping is exacerbating this problem. Online, it is easy to find products that look convincing and appear attractively priced. The barriers to purchase are extremely low, and unless buyers consciously and carefully check whether an item is genuine, they may end up purchasing a counterfeit product without realizing it. The fact that most shipments are concentrated in particular overseas regions suggests that while the entry points of distribution may be identifiable, the structure of small-lot, high-volume inflows through personal imports and cross-border e-commerce also makes enforcement more difficult.
The problem of counterfeit goods is not simply that “cheap products resembling the real thing are circulating.” It is, of course, an issue of intellectual property rights infringement, but it is also one that cannot be ignored from the standpoint of consumer protection. If products of unknown quality, made with materials and manufacturing processes that have not been properly controlled, enter the market, buyers may suffer harm. This concern is even greater when the products are intended for children. A similar appearance alone does not guarantee the quality or safety standards that genuine products are supposed to provide.
What this news also makes us realize is that countermeasures against counterfeit goods are not a matter for customs authorities alone. Even if customs continues to seize counterfeit products, supply will continue as long as demand remains. In other words, consumer awareness is also critically important. Rather than being drawn in solely by low prices or convenience, consumers need to make a conscious effort to check whether the seller is trustworthy, whether the product is officially licensed, and whether the distribution channel is legitimate. Character merchandise and event-related goods, in particular, tend to trigger the feeling that “you can only buy this now,” which makes calm and careful judgment all the more necessary.
Intellectual property is the result of the creativity and trust steadily built up by companies, creators, organizations, event organizers, athletes, and many others. If counterfeit goods are tolerated, not only is the legitimate value of those efforts undermined, but the market itself becomes distorted. Choosing genuine products is not merely a consumer decision; it is also an act of protecting those values.
Osaka Customs’ latest announcement can be seen as a renewed reminder to society of the need for stronger counter-counterfeit measures. Counterfeit goods are no longer a rare or specialized problem encountered only by a limited number of people. They are a highly real risk that anyone can come across in the course of everyday shopping. Precisely because we live in an age of convenience, we need to be more careful than ever about where we buy, from whom, and what we buy.