Why do Japanese cars have a reputation for being so much more reliable than their American or Euro counterparts?
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Because they were for many years. From about 1975 till at least 1990, the build quality and defect rates were objectively better in the Japanese made cars.
There are a lot of reasons for that, and in my opinion, it boils down to Japan’s destitution in the aftermath of World War II. Japanese manufacturers, by necessity, became obsessed with efficiency in all aspects of the manufacturing process. No resources to keep a back stock of parts? JIT! Decimated labor force? Lean that process! No money for a wide array of tools? Design it so a 10mm is the only wrench you need!
End result: Quality! JIT drives deliberate parts selection and sourcing from only the most reliable vendors. Lean processes not only save on labor, but have fewer steps for a human to fuck up. Designing for ease of maintenance entails simplifying otherwise complex systems; simple systems fail less.
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