Japan Electric Cable Import Increases in 1H

Japanese import value of electric wire and cable including optical fiber and cable increased by 36% to 256.36 billion yen in April-September 2006 from the same period of 2005, according to Japan Electric Wire & Cable Trading Association. The import especially increased by 41.1% for wires and cables applied to transporters, which represented more than 50% in total value and has increased due to more productive sites at overseas of Japanese cable makers and the users. Japan imported electric wire and cable most from China at 124.051 billion yen in 1H of fiscal 2006, which accounted for 48% in the total value.

Japan imported electric wire and cable for transporters, mainly automotive wiring harness, at 134.792 billion yen in 1H of fiscal 2006, 40% of which was from China and 21% from Vietnam. The import represented 53.3% in the total value in 1H of fiscal 2006 and the ratio upped by 1.9 percentage points from 1H of fiscal 2005.

The import of wire and cable for electric appliances increased by 34.6% to 42.547 billion yen in 1H of fiscal 2006 from a year ago, 30.8 billion yen or more than 70% of which was from China. The import accounts for 16-17% in the total value.

Japan imported electric wire and cable most from China at 124.051 billion yen in 1H of fiscal 2006, secondly from Vietnam at 33.8 billion yen and thirdly from Philippine at 26.6 billion yen. Electric wire and cable for transporters represent 80-90% of the import from Philippine and Vietnam.