I do believe you are quite right.
Knifemaking has been around for many centuries all around the globe.
Europe being but one of those areas.
As a Norwegian who can trace my kin back to the 11th century by now (still searching..), I have read many a story about great tools in use up here.
And my simple background/history is nothing compared to the middle- or south of Europe.
Or North Africa for that matter!
They seem to go back for milleniums when it comes to developing products that have improved slowly but surely over the centuries.
The thing about the Japanese, to me, is that they, more than others, have been single minded enough, or isolated if you prefer, to persue perfection on many areas for a very long time.
The result of that is, imo, that they have developed a unique culture that I would bet a lot of us enjoy parts of today.
Knifemaking being but one of those.
As to the Japanese entry of the "scene", I'm not sure what that really means as to the actual quality of cutlery products produced over there, here or anywhere else
To me, that is more a consequence of ability, or desire, to reach the marketplace as it were.