Japan Electric Cable Shipment Keeps Y/Y Plus in February

Japanese domestic shipment of electric wire and cable was quickly estimated at 57,800 tonnes of copper for February, increasing by 5.4% from a year earlier, according to a survey on approximately 130 makers those who belong to Japanese Electric Wire & Cable Makers’ Association. The shipment keeps slight year-on-year plus at around 50,000-60,000 tonnes of copper per month. Meanwhile, actual shipment of optical fiber products in January represented year-on-year minus for 8 straight months.

Copper cable shipment for domestic construction market and related wholesalers is estimated to represent year-to-year plus for 7 straight months. Thick-size power cable shipment keeps low due to slow capex activities by domestic manufacturing industry while thin-size power cable shipment is gradually recovering thanks to the demand for condominiums and home renovations.

Copper cable shipment for automobiles, mainly automotive wiring harness, would represent year-on-year minus for 5 straight months since October. The demand slowed down after the end of Japanese government’s incentive for eco friendly cars. Meanwhile, copper cable shipment for electric machines and appliances is expected to maintain year-on-year plus for 15 straight months though the volume is about 80% of pre-shock level.

Actual shipment of optical fiber products decreased by 6.5% to 2.437 million kilometers of fiber core (kmf) in January from a year earlier. The export declined by 17.2% to 1.589 million kmf, which represented decrease for 8 straight months and below 2 million kmf for 4 months in a row. It is analyzed that local production of optical fiber products is increasing at offshore markets such as China.