Japan may not be exporting many lugged bikes, but they are certainly building them. Most of these bikes are intended for the domestic market, which remains strong. When you consider some 2 million people in Tokyo use a bicycle every day, at least a few of those are customers for lugged bikes.
Many of the older makers in Japan are still in business, you can get lugged frames from Panasonic, Bridgestone, Katakura Silk, and Keirin racing bikes are mostly still lugged steel frames. I recently had a look at a Cherubim Triple Crown road bike, and have seldom seen anything as beautifully designed and made.
