The further development of marketing has been propelled by the need to react to arising mew demands, such as the organization of distribution into affiliations, changes in the distribution system, product differentiation, sales promotion, area marketing, lifestyle research, development of new technologies and new products, CI strategies, corporate reform, developing new lines of business, retail support, sales by proposition, consumer satisfaction etc. and the necessity to grapple with issues in various functional areas. Marketing research has played an important role in supporting these marketing activities. Thus, the history of marketing in Japan can be termed the history of marketing research in Japan. Marketing research is based on a relationship of trust between the clients in need of research, the research agency conducting the research, and the survey objects who provide information in good faith. Parallel to the expansion of the social function of marketing research, the relationship between these three parties has to be maintained and strengthened.
Marketing research depends on public reliance that research is carried out fairly, and objectively.
Research must be done without going into private lives and disadvantaging survey respondents. Also, it relies on spontaneous cooperation by survey respondents. Regrettably, however, occasional complaints are still voiced about unethical conduct of research companies such as breach of confidentiality. JMRA made a new start as Japan's only association of the marketing research industry in 1986 with its acknowledgement as a legal entity by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. Thus, beginning with its foundation as a voluntary organization, JMRA can look back on a history spanning 26 years from its beginnings as a voluntary organization to its present status as a professional association.