Not instantly. First Japanese made shitty copy factory that was behind the west and produced low quality products sold cheap. "Made in Japan" was brand for cheap knock off products for a long time. Japanese cars had a reputation of being easy to break "rice cups" even in the 80's. Gradual improvement and climbing up the value chain happened in Japan, then in South Korea and now it's happening in China.

Asian cultures have this idea that you learn from the masters by copying them. After you master the previous state of art you start to improve upon it. When you laugh at stealing copycats you fail to see the constant gradual improvement.

Doc: No wonder this circuit failed. It says "Made in Japan".

Marty McFly: What do you mean, Doc? All the best stuff is made in Japan

Not if you know how the Japanease did it to 50's they basically took the modern production management ideas that Ford et all rejected and implemented them

Also a lot of western cars in that periods where not so hot - the Austin Allegro for one

Depends on whether or not there is something to copy...

Perfect example: Aircraft carrier operations.

The US has painfully acquired the expertise and skills over half century. Thousands of aviators and sailors have died over decades until the current level of expertise has been reached.

Chinese have studied and copied everything. They translated USN carrier vessel flight deck manuals into Chinese and adopted it almost verbatim. Even the colors are the same. That's really smart thing to do. Trying to innovate and do your own thing starting from scratch because you have the false sense of pride and need be different would be stupid.

It is closer to a century USS Langley in 1919: https://www.navsource.org/archives/02/01.htm

Isn't the US Navy colliding with container ships because their pilots are sleeping at the wheel? Use it or lose it.

The US Navy had to innovate on carrier operations, because there was nobody to copy it from.