Recently, several home appliance makers from around the world have been increasing their presence in Japan's domestic market. One of those companies is US-based iRobot. They are currently focusing their efforts on getting feedback from Japanese consumers to further improve their products. According to some experts, the demanding expectations that consumers in Japan place on products makes becoming competitive here a key step in succeeding globally. We will also take a look at India, where the country's growing middle class has led to increased demand for home appliances. South Korean products currently dominate there, but Japanese electronics maker Panasonic is now taking steps to seize a larger share of the market.