Japan Electronic Materials Output Rises by 16% in April

Japanese electronic materials output increased by 16% to 36.277 billion yen in April from a year earlier, announced by Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association last week. The output increased for 4 months in a row when consumer spending lifted digital appliances output since late 2005 while the demand increased for automobile. The metal materials output increased by 29% to 3.686 billion yen in April from a year earlier. The electric tube and lead frame materials output increased by 30% to 2.473 billion yen. The metal materials including soft magnetic materials, spring materials and welding materials increased for the first time since the statistics changed the category into current version in September 2004. The permanent magnet output increased by 6% to 8.112 billion yen in April from a year earlier. Neodymium ferroboron and other rare earth magnet output increased by 11% to 6.058 billion yen. The demand increases for automobile, which uses more electronics devices, and for small motors of hard disc drive. The hard disc drive demand expands to portable music player along with traditional digital versatile disc and personal computer.