China consumer TV show targets camera maker Nikon

Having read JohnBecker's post, I'm really glad Nikon doesn't make cars (or any other product involving safety).

Thank you JohnBecker for actually posting an informed post on here. All we usually get is uninformed bashing (from both sides).

Nikon Corporation is a 100% subsidiary of the Mitsubishi Corporation one of numerous Japanese companies that used Chinese, Korean and Allied POWS as slave labor during WW2. So all the self-righteous, China haters who regularly post on JT may want to consider more carefully whose products they should boycott.

http://www.japanfocus.org/-kinue-tokudome/1920

http://japandailypress.com/chinese-wwii-slave-workers-to-sue-mitsubishi-0226201/

@JohnBecker and Mitch Cohen, sensible posts with facts and info. This tells how little knowledge many of these posters are, and how biased they have become.

Customer complaints on the defective Nikon D600 camera were being ignored worldwide until a class action lawsuit was filed in California against Nikon. I understand the corrective action by Nikon is global.

I applaud consumer advocates for giving voices to common people that suffer from corporate greed and irresponsibility.

John, exactly, Nikon has made a faulty product and sold it worldwide, then refused to acknowledge the fault except in the USA. The Chinese show was spot on this time.as far as I know, this show attacks local products from local companies just as well.

No question China has become the regions bully, declaring they have all these "protection zones" other countries must respect and obtain permission before flying over or cruising by ship. As an American, it's extremely hard to find products made in the US or in China. I'm always puzzled why the most expensive clothes such as those made by Polo have to be made in Thialand, Taiwan, Vietnam or China. Don't tell me that an $85 golf shirt can't be made in the US, Canada or Japan still allowing for a lot of profit, or a $400 pair of wool trousers, a $300 soft wool sweater. We have been flooded with cheap Chinese motorbikes that require a lot of expense to run, repair shops have to replace bearings and bushings made of very poor materials, I would hate to think that someday we might see Chinese cars. Traditionally I've purchased German cars or US made Ford SUV's, I just bought an Infiniti M sedan and I'm in heaven, very superior vs BMW's and Mercedes. Apple has to deal with copies sold in stores that are made to resemble real Apple Stores, China should be working on protecting high quality, high tech companies before making whinny critiques. For what it's worth all the Apple items I own have been made in China, in one of the hell hole factories. If I had a choice I would never buy another China made item for the poor quality and terrible working conditions. I love the few items I own, made in Japan.

So a Chinese consumer advocacy TV program which has targeted Chinese, American, German, French, and Japanese companies must be a conspiracy against Japan..?

I'm surprised at the number of people who apparently agree..

If they run the next 20 episodes on non-Japanese companies before doing another piece on a Japanese company, I guess that will confirm the anti-Japan conspiracy theories beyond doubt. That seems to be the logic of some people.

@OssanAmerica

China has a lot of credibility.

First, China said as long as Japan being a peaceful nation, the trillion dollars war reparation would be waived, so far China didn't make Japan to pay for it; Second, China said that Senkakus/DiaoYu Islands is a part of China and will never compromise it with Japan, so far China does just that.

The Nikon D600 camera body was made in Thailand. It has been discontinued in favor of the newer D610 model.

The "black spots" were caused by a badly designed shutter mechanism that threw oil droplets onto the image sensor. They didn't do any physical damage, they just showed up in the photos taken with the camera. The problem required regular (and by regular, I mean weekly) cleaning of the sensor. This adds up to a lot of money, either for having a camera shop clean it, or to buy the (very expensive) swabs and cleaning fluid to do it yourself.

Nikon categorically denied any problem with the camera, from the time the problem surfaced until they finally discontinued the model. Incidentally, the new D610 model is identical to the D600, with the exception of one change - the shutter assembly. As you might expect, this has caused an uproar among D600 owners, who didn't take kindly to Nikon saying, "There was never a problem, and we have fixed it."

Under mounting pressure, Nikon have announced (on www.nikonusa.com) that D600 owners in the US may ship the camera back to Nikon to be cleaned and inspected, and to have the shutter assembly replaced, at no cost. I don't know if this free service is available in other parts of the world.

So.... it wasn't an issue of low quality manufacturing, it was a faulty design. And Nikon really did stonewall their customers over the cause of the problem and their responsibility for it. This didn't happen only in China, it was worldwide. Nikon's reputation has taken a big hit over this, and deservedly so.

I can't talk about Nikon's service in China, but can say this; You treat CCTV like NHK. You stay out of their crosshairs good or bad till you can talk on even terms. Then you work for ambiguity leaning in your favor.

mulan2Mar. 16, 2014 - 11:34PM JST Japan must be very careful about her credibility. Once you lose it you will never get it back

That is correct. It's much easier for China which never had it in the first place. And probably never will.

Japan must be very careful about her credibility. Once you lose it you will never get it back. Abe is a good example. Google is another.

China.... Never short of throwing with dirt when the target is Japan! I wouldn't be surprised to learn if the CCP had a special department that is dedicated at smearing Japanese companies.

No wonder, they focus now Japan products, Chinese propaganda at best .

@ badman Chinese drywall. Enough said.

Nooo China enough said!

now you know how the world feels, this is nothing more then the usual PR smear china has been doing on every topic related to japan.

China is determined to go after japan, its people , its govt, or it's companies no matter whet the cost, but the whole world knows china and its cheating lying scummy practices leave the world aghast, anyone recall the melamine scandal recently, how about the poisoned gyosa scandal or perhaps we could go on n on about the dump.

@StormR - Wow.. why so sensitive? Looks like the Chinese TV program advocates consumer rights and this particular episode featured Nikon.

You sound as though you are convinced the show unfairly targeted Nikon because it is a Japanese company. But if you read the article, you'll find they've targeted plenty of non-Japanese companies before.

Fast-food outlet McDonald’s Corp, supermaket chain Carrefour SA and home products firm Procter & Gamble Co have also previously come under the show’s spotlight.

And before you suggest they only target foreign companies, the article says they also targeted online payment companies, both of which are Chinese companies.

A short segment warned consumers about the dangers of online payments, coming after China’s central bank halted the mobile payment processes of IPO-bound Alibaba Group Holdings and Tencent Holdings Ltd.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alibaba_Group

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tencent

Most likely the Nikon D600 is made in China. Oh, the irony.

Well, it's not Chinese vs Japanese, guys, it's just a problem one Jpns co. has to figure out. I'm sure they did make some crappy products in their history. A few years back there was a big recall of Toyota cars in America, now GM has made a big blunder.

Any co is going to make mistakes or be greedy at some point.

Chinese drywall. Enough said.

Well, that's one way the Chinese can encourage their citizens to buy Chinese. I'm pretty sure that trashing popular foreign brands is pretty underhanded though. The irony is of course, the multiple issues that Chinese products have. Tomes have been written about that.

And how many companies from china are selling inferior products and goods, please tell me about your experience with Chinese companies after sales service, how about CCTV make a program dedicated to this topic.

Recently NZ have had problems with trains they bought from china where they were specified to be asbestos free, but subsequently found to have asbestos in the cabins, just a small example of china and its great products NOT.

China is determined to go after japan, its people , its govt, or it's companies no matter whet the cost, but the whole world knows china and its cheating lying scummy practices leave the world aghast, anyone recall the melamine scandal recently, how about the poisoned gyosa scandal or perhaps we could go on n on about the dump.