The Communications and Information network Association of Japan (CIAJ: a general incorporated association) announces the telecommunication equipment production and trade figures for April through June, 2015 as follows.
The total value of telecommunication equipment produced in Japan during this period decreased 20% over the previous year. In addition to terminal devices and wireline network equipment, wireless network equipment, which showed healthy growth a year ago, also recorded a large decrease in 2015, contributing to the significantly lower overall figure.
The total figure for exports grew over the previous year, helped by the currency exchange rate. On the other hand, despite the exchange rate, imports surged over the previous year.
I. Domestic Production
The total value of production for the first quarter of FY2015 was 149.6 billion yen, or a negative growth of 20.0% over the same period the previous year, and the third consecutive negative first quarter.
[Figures by equipment categories]
- Wireline terminal equipment 13.5 billion yen (negative growth of 13.3% over the same period of the previous year)
- Mobile terminal equipment 49.6 billion yen (negative growth of 5.8% over the same period of the previous year), of which mobile phones accounted for 38.6 billion yen (negative growth of 5.2% over the same period of the previous year)
Public-use PHS 700 million yen (negative growth of 56.2% over the same period of the previous year) - Wireline network equipment 43.6 billion yen (negative growth of 24.2% over the same period of the previous year), of which switching systems accounted for 12.7 billion yen (negative growth of 37.1% over the same period of the previous year) and transmission equipment accounted for 30.9 billion yen (negative growth of 17.2% over the same period of the previous year).
- Wireless network equipment 28.2 billion yen (negative growth of 39.5% over the same period of the previous year), of which fixed communication devices accounted for 11.9 billion yen (negative growth of 4.2% over the same period of the previous year) and base station communication devices accounted for 16.3 billion yen (negative growth of 52.3% over the same period of the previous year).
- Network access equipment 8.1 billion yen (negative growth of 10.2% over the same period of the previous year)
- Wireline parts 6.7 billion yen (positive growth of 15.4% over the same period of the previous year)
<<Noteworthy developments in QI of FY2015>>
- The market for wireline terminal equipment saw a drop in domestic consumer demand as well as capital investment in facilities in the private sector, resulting in lower figures for telephone sets, key telephones and facsimiles.
- With Japanese brands continuing to move their manufacturing facilities abroad and more foreign brands penetrating the domestic market, the domestic production figure of mobile terminal equipment continued to decline. Public-use PHS indicated a significant drop, affected by sales of ultra low-end smartphones and wi-fi routers.
- In wireline network equipment, both the termination of investments in switching systems and the end of the recent cycle of infrastructure investments in digital transmission equipment contributed to the large negative growth for the entire category.
- Demand for wireless network equipment reverted to a considerable drop over the previous year, with an especially large decrease in base stations which experienced a lull after the surge in demand the previous year. Fixed communication devices (terrestrial, satellite) also showed negative growth.
- Network access equipment, such as routers and LAN devices indicated negative year-over-year growth. On the other hand, wireline parts such as relay equipment, showed positive growth.
II. Exports
The total figure for exports in QI of FY2015 was 126.7 billion yen (positive 18.2% over the same period the previous year).
 Telephone sets and terminal equipment | 1.3 billion yen |
| Mobile phones | 700 million yen |
| Facsimiles | 80 million yen |
| Cordless handsets for landline phones | 70 million yen |
| Other | 500 million yen |
| Network equipment | 39.3 billion yen |
| Base stations | 2.9 billion yen |
| Data communication equipment | 34.9 billion yen |
| Other network equipment | 1.5 billion yen |
| Parts* (includes both wireline and wireless) | 86.1 billion yen |
(*: As of 2007, the statistics released by the Ministry of Finance do not distinguish wireline and wireless parts)
A comparison of first quarter figures over the previous year shows decreases in mobile phones (negative 22.5%), base stations (negative 59.3%) and data communication equipment (negative 2.8%), but positive growth in facsimiles (positive 16.6%), cordless handsets (positive 30.6%) and parts (positive 41.1%). However, when taking the weaker yen into consideration (+18.4% over the US dollar over the previous year), the growth was flat.
III. Imports
The total figure for imports in QI FY2015 was 606.1 billion yen (26.4% positive growth over the same period the previous year).
| Telephone sets and terminal equipment | 369.3 billion yen |
| Mobile phones | 364.8 billion yen |
| Facsimiles | 900 million yen |
| Cordless handsets for landline phones | 1.3 billion yen |
| Other | 2.2 billion yen |
| Network equipment | 158.1 billion yen |
| Base stations | 3.9 billion yen |
| Data communication equipment | 148.8 billion yen |
| Other network equipment | 5.4 billion yen |
| Parts* (includes both wireline and wireless) | 78.7 billion yen |
(*: As of 2007, the statistics released by the Ministry of Finance do not distinguish wireline and wireless parts)
A comparison of first quarter figures over the previous year shows negative growth in cordless handsets (negative 32.3%), base stations (negative 72.5%) and other network equipment (negative 1.5%). However, there was a significant turnaround in mobile phones, which rebound to a positive 41.2% growth, followed by facsimiles (positive 36.2%), data communication equipment (positive 18.0%) and parts (positive 11.0%), pushing the overall import figure up to a robust 26.4% growth despite the negative influence from the currency exchange rate.
IV. Data by Region
| Regional breakdown of exports | ||
| 1.Asia | 94.1 billion yen | +8.2% |
| 2.N. America | 16.8 billion yen | -2.4% |
| 3.Europe | 9.6 billion yen | -0.9% |
| Regional breakdown of imports | ||
| 1.Asia | 568.5 billion yen | +0.6% |
| 2.N. America | 19.9 billion yen | -0.4% |
| 3.Europe | 8.6 billion yen | -0.2% |
For details, contact
Mr. Miya
Market Research
CIAJ
tel: 81-3-5403-9356 fax: 81-3-5403-9360 e-mail: s_miya[at]ciaj.or.jp
For more general inquiries, contact
Mr. Takeuchi
Corporate Communications
CIAJ
tel: 81-3-5403-9351 fax: 81-3-5403-9360
