Stereotypes exist due to a combination of observation and confirmation bias. That "observation" part is the more important of the two, though. We think the Japanese like manga... Because they do. They make up about half their literature sales. We think the Japanese like video games, and look at that, most of the video game companies that make anything worthwhile are Japanese.
The stereotype wouldn't exist, if it weren't at least partially true.
Stereotypes exist due to a combination of observation and confirmation bias. That "observation" part is the more important of the two, though. We think the Japanese like manga... Because they do. They make up about half their literature sales. We think the Japanese like video games, and look at that, most of the video game companies that make anything worthwhile are Japanese.
The stereotype wouldn't exist, if it weren't at least partially true.