Japan Electric Cable Industry Commits to Stable Supply for Reconstruction

Mr. Masao Yoshida, chairperson of Japanese Electric Wire & Cable Makers’ Association and president of Furukawa Electric, expressed at a press conference in Tokyo held on Friday that Japanese electric wire and cable industry commits to recommencement and maintenance of stable supply of power and telecom wire and cable for after-earthquake reconstruction. Mr. Yoshida explained the association requested nonferrous metals division of Ministry of Economy, Trade & Industry (METI) to introduce total volume control of electric power supply for electric wire and cable industry to keep stable operations.

The association explained Tohoku-Pacific Ocean Earthquake seems to have damaged Japanese copper wire and cable production capacity directly by around 10% in copper volume as of the third week of March.

Aluminium wire and cable production capacity is damaged by 70-80% in aluminium volume, those which are used mainly for power transmission. Low voltage (mainly 600V) power cable production is damaged by several percentage while middle voltage (mainly 6kV) power cable is damaged by 20-30% and high voltage (above 6kV) by 40-50% in copper volume. As for optical fiber products, the capacity is damaged by 40-50% in fiber length.

Mr. Yoshida explained Japanese electric wire and cable industry is suffered from direct damages on their production facilities as well as lower operating rate along Tokyo Electric Power Company’s power outage plan, material and fuel supply shortage. Mr. Yoshida visited METI on March 22 and requested total volume control of electric power distribution and stable supply of copper, fuel and resin.