A strike that paralyzed production at Honda Motor's factories in China has emerged as a eye opener to Japan's flagship exporters looking forward to stay competitive and mark its foot in China's flourishing market lending the support of the low-wage workers.

The strike launched by local workers to combat low pay and tough working conditions, has made the automobile giant, Japan's second largest after Toyota Motor, to face thousands of units in lost sales in the world's biggest auto market.

In Tokyo, the industrial action highlighted that as Chinese incomes and expectations increase with the rapid economic growth in the company while Japan's own economy wavers.

"Japan is starting to realize that the age of cheap wages in China is coming to an end, and companies that looked to China only for lower costs need to change course," noted Tomoo Marukawa, a specialist on the Chinese economy at Tokyo University.

The 1,900-person industrial action over pay and work conditions at Honda's Foshan factory landed Honda in a frenzy, which had announced just days before the strike that it would boost production in China to keep up pace with the rising demand.

Japanese automakers are also witnessed to be in a bid to keep pace with its rivals after coming relatively late in the fast-growing market.