OREANDA-NEWS. Dentsu Inc. announced the release of its "2013 Hit Products in Japan" report. Produced as part of a series that has been chronicling hit products since 1985, the latest report examines major trends that represented the consumer mindset in 2013. It is based on an Internet survey of Japanese consumers carried out in November 2013 by Dentsu Macromill Inc.

2013 was a year in which "reality exceeded expectations." It began with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's "Abenomics" policies to stimulate the Japanese economy, and the rise in Japanese stock prices attracted worldwide attention. In June Mount Fuji was named a UNESCO World Heritage site, and in September Tokyo won the bid to host the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The latter two appear in the 2013 Current Events/Signs of the Times rankings.

The following top 20 products and current events/signs of the times were selected from around 100 popular items and services by 1,000 Internet survey respondents aged between 20 and 69. The total scores in three categories-"recognition," "degree of interest" and "topicality/buzz"-were calculated to determine the top products of 2013. The figures in parentheses are last year's rankings. Previously unranked products are indicated with.

Some of the top-ranking products are items that have been consistently popular over the last few years and have evolved further; others appeal to a wide age range and across geographical regions. Vehicle collision prevention systems and 3D printers are not just a transient boom; they are products which offer development potential.