What’s the Deal with Japanese Capacitors?

(Last edited 5/14/2026)

I hope you heard that in Jerry Seinfeld's voice.

After the capacitor plague, many PSU manufacturers made a big show of using "Japanese capacitors only" to reassure customers about electrolyte reliability. But times have changed. Today's electrolyte formulas are vastly improved, with better materials and quality control across the board. Sure, some sketchy knock-offs still exist, but they're increasingly uncommon.

Here's what most consumers don't know: those "Japanese" capacitors in Chinese- made products? They're usually Chinese-made too. With China's 13% VAT plus another 13% tariff⁵ on imported components, plus shipping costs, the economics push Japanese brands to either build factories in China or partner with Chinese manufacturers.

This isn't to say that every reputable Chinese capacitor factory can produce capacitors on par with those from a Japanese factory. However, every capacitor brand offers a wide range of products, and it's the engineer's responsibility to ensure the capacitor they select is suitable for its application.

Over the past ten years and more, I've grown increasingly at ease with the use of capacitors from non-Japanese brands. Apparently, I'm not the only one. Hitachi relocated its electrolytic capacitor production to China in 1999, partnering with the Nantong Jianghai Capacitor company. By 2020, Hitachi exited the industry entirely by selling all its interests in the development of aluminum electrolytic capacitors to Nantong Jianghai. Many engineers who previously relied on Hitachi capacitors now use Jianghai capacitors without any reservations.

Personally, I prefer the Teapo TB and Elite PF series (Taiwanese brands manufactured in China) for PSU secondary sides. But marketing departments, well aware of the internet's long memory, still insist on using "Japanese capacitors" so they can have that bullet point present on packaging and promotional materials.

A CORSAIR branded Elite capacitor. These are currently in production, but not in the “CORSAIR yellow” color shown here.