Japan is one of the perfect examples of people just paying whatever if your social branding is high due to western propaganda...
So, I don't drink whisky, only wine but, a friend of mine is into whiskeys and used to love Nikka Whisky, Nikka Yoichi etc because he believed that Samurais, over their centuries of existence, perfected and drank these Japanese whiskeys.
Lmao, you had to see his face when another friend of ours showed him that whisky production in Japan only started from late 19th century to early 20th century and right after Samurais were disbanded...

Like, he was regularly paying around 200$ to 300$ per bottle and all because of the Samurai tax
PS: I've had some funny moments due to Japan. Like, I also know someone that sees Japanese meat as top of the top because he believes that it was perfected over centuries and can't be compared to any other place...Fool was also in shock when I told him that Japanese basically didn't eat beef until the end of Meiji restoration, in 19th century.
Bro died even more inside when I told him that I would rather eat at Fogo De Chao than any Japanese spot
Another example is Sushi...I mean, most Sushi lovers associate the dish with upper-middle and upper-class Japan but, historically, it was food for poor people.
Japan's PR and branding are unmatched...