Japan awash in fake goods

Criminal groups counterfeiting luxury brand items are changing the products they target, leaving affected industries scrambling to cope.

By the time manufacturers and pawnshops that stock name-brand products can take measures against existing counterfeit items, a new wave of fakes has already hit the consumer market and the cat-and-mouse game continues. The number of seized fake goods imported from overseas reached a record high last year, and experts say Japan has been targeted internationally due to its lax regulations.