EPEEYes, Makiri is made in Japan by blacsmith Ikeuchi. The slimmer tip would indeed make Makiri perform better. Since it is a traditional fisherman knife, they needed a ticker spine so it could be used as a deba to cut fish on the spot if needed, and also it was supposed to be used for rougher tasks on a boat, so the thinner tip would be more prone to chipping/breaking.