With cars of that age, you’re taking a chance either way.
Source: have only ever owned mid-to-late 90s cars, currently a 1999 Lexus IS200 and a 1998 Clio.
The Jap ones are infinitely easier to fix yourself though, and therefore cheaper to run. Clio and Lexus have both had issues recently, but the Clio is the one we’re trying to ignore (immobiliser circuit knackered) as it’ll cost 3x the car’s value to put right. Lexus is a Lambda sensor issue, just waiting for the replacement sensor in the post.
FWIW, the most reliable (Mazda RX7, believe it or not) and least reliable (Legnum VR4) cars I’ve owned have both been Japanese.