I recently had a discussion with a manufacturer's rep stating the same US and Japan golf manufacturers are 2 completely seperate companies under a license agreement for the use of the name in the other country. For example, he said Callaway USA and Callaway Japan are two completely seperate entities under a license agreement for a Japan company to be able to use the name Callaway. Just curious, if that is true, would that mean Callaway Japan makes clubs in other parts of the world than Callaway USA? Does this hold true on the flip side (ie. Bridgstone USA has a license with Bridgstone Japan to use its name but be able to produce clubs in other parts of the country?) Would this answer the question why there are different Japan brands on the market that are not available in the US market?

Not the same for all companies.

Tourstage and Bridgestone are the same company just different products.

Callaway is the same, same company but different products for Japan, Korea, and US.

Macgregor had name/licensing rights but I think it is now the same companies again.

Titleist Japan had the licensing agreement a while back but is now agin under Acushnet.

Before the licensing agreements made sense, now with a "smaller" world different products make more sense and more $$$.