See, this is why I really should convert this site to Jeans Now! and get a brand going (from Japan Today):
Japanese jeans makers and denim producers are world beaters in terms of their ability to develop new materials and washing processes.Akira Saeki, of the Japan Jeans Makers Association, saying that Japanese designers are creating jeans that are selling for as much as $400 a pair in the U.S. (Asahi Shimbun)