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The Japanese success in electronics has been fleeting. The consumer business is moving to other countries, such as China, etc. The Japanese stuff never really caught on in the personal computer world either, .
In addition, in the semiconductor manufacturing world, the Japanese were always also-rans. The large fabs have always been in the US, Europe, and now Taiwan. The Japanese fabs have actually only supplied the internal Japanese markets, never catching the US companies in market share. .
Saying the US companies have not been successful in electronics since world war II is just not correct. Just look at Intel, Hewlett Packard, Dell(until recently), TI, and Apple. There are many others. US companies just have not been successful in consumer entertainment electronics. They have been quite successfull in some consumer electronics. An example is the cell phone-Motorola. In fact, there is not a Japanese name in the top three cellphone suppliers(Nokia, Motorola, and Samsung). In addtion, US companies continue to provide components to Japanese consumer electronics companies to this day. Components made in the US.
As far as cars, it is my belief that the US manufacturers are still reaping what they (both management and labor) sowed in the 1970s. I am old enough to to remember horror stories from all of the big 3(crankshaft on gasoline engine breaking in two at 20,000 miles-GM-only warrantied half the cost, pulley falling off on an almost new Chrysler product, transmission lines crushed by poor assembly-causing out of warranty transmission re-build at 40,000 miles-my 1978 Ford Mustang-I can list many others). People bought far better quality Japanese cars, had good experience, and never looked back. It does not matter at this point if the big 3 automobilie quality is close to or as good as the Japanese-people my age and their children(as recommended by the parents) buy Japanese, they have no reason to go back.
By the way-I have four Fords, including a 2006 model, so I am not biased toward Japanese cars.
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