Of all the companies included in the study, Omron received the highest favourability rating and Brother received the lowest. Toyota was rated most familiar and Takeda Chemical the least familiar.

"Many of the top Japanese brands received ratings comparable with top U.S. brands," commented James Gregory, CEO of Corporate Branding. "We see automotive and electronics brands like Toyota, Honda, and Sony performing as well as (and in some cases better than), powerhouse brands such as IBM, Kodak, and General Motors. That's no small feat."

"Given the current state of the financial markets, companies across the globe are seeking ways to maximise value at every point possible," added Steven Makadok, Corporate Branding's Group Director. "The corporate brand is one such point. Our ten years of research proves, beyond a doubt, that a powerful corporate brand can help to mitigate a company's declining stock price in a down market and bolster it in an advancing market. With many other factors out of one's control, brand is a critical factor that can be managed to ensure optimum financial results."

The study was compiled using the company’s Corporate BrandPower system, assigning scores for fifty of the largest publicly traded Japanese companies. This value was based on revenue, stock price leverage, and favourablity among senior business decision-makers. Each company in this study was evaluated by 300 respondents, with individual scores being calculated out of a possible 100.