What I mean is, Japan was not only producing cool looking tech, but it was actual "tech", like new things the world didn't have before. Remember Sony in the 90s?

Yeah I've always wondered what happened to Japan. They seem to have really fallen behind in consumer technology where they used to lead. Now the top consumer tech brands are Apple and Samsung, which are American and Korean brands. I think the move to "smart" technology was too different for the existing Japanese brands which pioneered single-purpose devices. Also Japan's economy suffered over the last 3 decades in which technology rapidly advanced.

It's sad because consumer technology today almost universally looks like shit as everyone tries to copy Apple's boring and uninspired designs

I like this documentary, I'm not sure if it's accurate, but whatever: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmnVP35uZFY

But also, I'm pretty in tune with the culture here, I'd say the current leadership is obviously quite old and so is the voting populace and the attitude is now, "Japan works good enough, it has worked, we were an economic super power and people seem to love coming here for holidays, so best not to change anything, we might become a economic super power again if we just maintain".

I find Japanese people are generally extremely risk adverse, so not changing things is the best way to avoid problems according to many people I've interacted with.

I'm 99% sure that's the sentiment and what's "wrong with it". It's not going that great for the economy but there is a fear instating a younger more progressive politician might be worse.

In the 80s and 90s, people were younger on average, people had money and so taking moon shots was fine.

I honestly think Japan is a wonderful place and the culture is fascinating, I think there is something to be said for their slowness to adopt new things too, it's not all bad. Their culture makes them be more "ok" with not being ontop economically IMO. I think patience is an important Japanese virtue which is why people here aren't just screaming for change. Japan is the kind of place where people keep money under their bed for an emergency.

Japan has been living in the year 2000 since the 1980s.

it is 1975, not 2000.

OMG, what a flashback. I remember buying a bunch of them for gifts on their physical store in Odaiba (I think) in 2006. Back them were almost cheap, at least there. I guess that around USD50.

I still have one, the JLr7 [0], that I really used for years back in the day. I have it with the original metal bracelet, but it seems like they've done a brief re-release of the watch this past spring but with a leather strap [1]. But they sold it at USD199 !

  0: http://bochup-japanwatch.blogspot.com/2006/12/jlr7-by-e35.html
  1: https://tokyoflash.com/collections/watch-museum/products/jlr7-led-watch