The results of a joint survey conducted by the Tokyo-based market research group Japan Trend Research and the Japanese beauty media outlet Amy on Jan. 27 said nearly one in four Japanese women in their 40s or younger uses Korean cosmetics. (Japan Trend Research's website)

By Lee Kyoung Mi

Nearly one out of four Japanese women in their 40s or younger uses Korean cosmetics, a survey said. 

The Tokyo-based market research group Japan Trend Research and the Japanese beauty media outlet Amy on Jan. 27 announced the results of their joint study of 200 women in that age range across Japan, with 23.5% of them saying this demographic uses Korean cosmetics.

The reasons for using Korean cosmetics differed by age group, with teens saying "Korea is conscious of beauty as a trendsetter"; people in their 20s "I want to use Korean makeup because I like BLACKPINK; 30-somethings "reasonable price for quality; and those in their 40s "many products with good colors and quality."

In addition, 61.7% of respondents who said they use Korean cosmetics said they felt the difference between Korean brands and those of Japan, the U.S. and Europe. When asked what the differences were, the respondents gave answers ranging from "Korean cosmetics have pretty packaging and design and good functionality" to "Korean brands apparently studied a lot about using cosmetics."

Japan Trend Research called Korea "a great beauty country" and said more people are growing interested in Korean cosmetics. The market research group also forecast Korean cosmetics will become the mainstream in Japan given their high level of attention on social media.

The Korea International Trade Association said cosmetics exports to Japan in 2021 exceeded KRW 1 trillion for the first time as Korea became the No. 1 country for exporting cosmetics to Japan in the first half of last year.

Korean cosmetics are displayed at a corner of a downtown shopping mall in Kobe, Japan. (Korea.net Honorary Reporter Miho Kurihara)