While foreign countries are experimenting a lot with koji and flavors, I don't think it's very fair to say "While Japanese brewing companies, unlike Western chefs, may not necessarily excel in creativity or innovation"! I can name a number of Japanese chefs based in Japan who are very creative with koji and using it in 'novel' ways that I haven't seen any foreign chefs do.
While foreign countries are experimenting a lot with koji and flavors, I don't think it's very fair to say "While Japanese brewing companies, unlike Western chefs, may not necessarily excel in creativity or innovation"! I can name a number of Japanese chefs based in Japan who are very creative with koji and using it in 'novel' ways that I haven't seen any foreign chefs do.