Then the pendulum swung the other way and Japanese products were considered the best (cameras, electronics, etc) when, in fact, they were no more great than when they were considered crap. I had a closet full of dead Japanese stuff that barely made it to warranty. Perception is a lot of it.
The price thing about car parts is a little more complicated. When Japanese cars first hit our shores, parts were insane. $600 for one CV joint for a Civic. Later, aftermarket mfrs/rebuilders got into the act and drove prices waaaay down. I bought a PAIR of rebuilt joints for the same car for $125. Later, when rebuilding a Honda alternator, I got Honda parts cheaper from the dealer than the local discount parts store. Pays to shop around.
nb