Apple took top honors for the first time in an annual brand evaluation survey of consumers by Nikkei BP Consulting, reports “Nikkei.com” (http://macte.ch/TilYd).

Scoring 90.5 points for total brand power, Apple jumped to the top sport from 11th place in 2011. In a survey of businesspeople, the U.S.company took second behind Toyota Motor Corp.

The Brand Japan 2012 survey had a consumer market category targeting 1,000 brands, as well as a business market category for 500 brands. It was conducted online over November and December of last year. Overall brand power scores were calculated based on the responses of some 52,000 people aged 18 and older.