The reputation of Japan’s top paper companies collapsed faster than the proverbial house of cards in January when bogus labelling of products as recycled was uncovered.

Paper firms accounting for four-fifths of the industry confessed to exaggerating or entirely fabricating the recycled content of greetings cards, copier and printing paper in a bid to lure green-minded customers. It was an industry-wide deception that had gone on for ten years.

The scandal is the latest blow to the “made in Japan” brand. Last year, a McDonald’s franchisee, top meat supplier Meat Hope and leading confectioners Akafuku, Fujiya and Ishiya were all found to have mislabelled their products. The paper scandal now threatens to dent Japan’s efforts to position itself as a global environmental leader.

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