- Playing as it does an integral part in our contemporary lifestyle, lighting apparatus is expected to not only provide illumination but add dramatic effect to space. As an increasing number of consumers seek comfort as well as personality from their living space, lighting apparatus has become one of the means of enhancing comfort at home. Different cultures have different lifestyles and living environments, and, similarly, lighting apparatus is different in each county.
- Since lighting apparatus needs to match Japanese cultural requirements, the vast majority is manufactured in Japan, and only a few are imported. In 1997, only 1.7% of domestic production was exported, and imports were equivalent to 5.2% of domestic production. In general, simply importing lighting apparatus manufactured overseas does not work in Japan, since it needs to meet the Japanese living environment.
- Many Japanese manufacturers, major ones in particular, have aggressively established joint ventures in Indonesia, Thailand, China, Taiwan, etc. More recently, many of them have begun to import components from Japan, manufacture according to specifications that meet Japanese preferences, and export the finished products to Japan.
- Below are domestic production and shipments of lighting apparatus:
|
Production |
Shipments |
| 1992 |
644,926 |
744,057 |
| 1993 |
617,133 |
707,804 |
| 1994 |
601,568 |
692,447 |
| 1995 |
588,834 |
683,968 |
| 1996 |
601,480 |
725,746 |
| 1997 |
621,681 |
756,356 |
(unit: \1 million)
(Shipments always exceed production, since production represents invoicing by factories, and shipments, by manufacturers' pricing) (Source: MITI)
- In 1997, exports from Japan were \10,392 million, which can be broken down as:
| Asia |
7,303,345 |
| Europe |
602,088 |
North America
|
1,901,897 |
| Latin America |
69,040 |
| Africa |
338,490 |
| Oceania |
168,496 |
| Total |
10,392,356 |
(unit: \1,000)
The top 10 destination countries were:
| 1. |
U.S.A. |
1,842,835 |
| 2. |
Saudi Arabia
|
1,467,009 |
| 3. |
Singapore |
863,256 |
| 4. |
Taiwan |
738,798 |
| 5. |
China |
706,116 |
| 6. |
Indonesia |
697,530 |
| 7. |
Hong Kong |
602,583 |
| 8. |
Korea |
543,884 |
| 9. |
Thailand |
464,858 |
| 10. |
Malaysia |
268,118 |
(unit: \1,000)
- In 1997, imports to Japan were \32,392 million, which can be broken down as:
| Asia |
19,720,491 |
| Europe |
8,682,211 |
North America
|
3,944,531 |
| Latin America |
1,605 |
| Africa |
5,976 |
| Oceania |
37,931 |
| Total |
32,392,745 |
(unit: \1,000)
The top 10 importing countries were:
| 1. |
China |
6,850,930 |
| 2. |
Taiwan |
6,073,205 |
| 3. |
U.S.A. |
3,865,327 |
| 4. |
Italy |
3,631,398 |
| 5. |
Thailand |
2,863,624 |
| 6. |
Germany |
1,624,962 |
| 7. |
Indonesia |
1,573,134 |
| 8. |
Korea |
952,867 |
| 9. |
France |
878,601 |
| 10. |
U.K. |
717,596 |
(Source: Japan Trade Monthly Returns)
Imports include imports of components, many of which are parts import from Europe. As shown above, there are a lot of imports from Asian countries, and China, Taiwan and Thailand together account for 48.7% of total imports. European and American imports enjoy popularity in the Japanese market for their superior design, and Asian imports, for their price competitiveness. There has been no sign of prices of domestically manufactured merchandise falling as a result of cheap imports.
- Lighting apparatus can be roughly classified into two types according to their use. Half are for residences, and the rest, for buildings, shops, the Japan Highway Public Corporation, hotels, etc. Eighty percent of those for residences are built-in, and 20% at most are purchased and installed by individuals. With regard to those for residences, ceiling-mounted types, rather than suspended types, are preferred, since the ceilings of apartments are getting lower (approx. 230 cm) and the average height of young people is increasing. At DIY centers and supermarkets, lighting apparatus is sold which can be installed easily, and an increasing number of consumers do it themselves.
- Desk lamp demand is on the decline, since most desks for pupils come with a lamp built in and the number of school-aged children is decreasing. Annual demand stands at about 1.5 million pcs., but is on a slow increase thanks to their comeback among the elderly.
- Floor lamps are not suited to Japanese houses, since they take a lot of space. Instead, fluorescent lamps are used in many cases. Japan is the largest fluorescent lamp consuming country in the world. At present, incandescent lighting apparatus accounts for 25%, fluorescent lamps, 70%, and others, 5%.
- Classified as Class 2 in the safety standard of the Electrical Appliance and Material Control Law, lighting apparatus is regulated as such. More recently, however, the principle of self-regulation has been applied to an increasing number of cases, and the safety standard will be deregulated in a few years.
To indicate where the responsibility lies when retailing lighting apparatus, it is necessary to attach a "Safety Mark," which details the name and address of the distributor and important specifications. Otherwise, they are not permitted to be retailed.
- There are three main distribution channels:
- Manufacturer/importer Retailer Consumer
- Shops (directly-managed shops, department stores, lighting specialty stores, interior shops, super markets, etc.) Consumer
It is expected that interior shops and lighting specialty stores, where they can provide expert advice, will be a greater share. In response to the Product Liability Law, and a shift towards an energy-conserving and barrier-free society, some forecast that consumers would demand cheap quality and efficient products.
- Since the Product Liability Law was enacted, no major accidents leading to a lawsuit have occurred. In most cases, problems occur due to incorrect use. Besides individual manufacturers insuring themselves, the trade associations hold group PL insurance.
- Primary factors that affect sales of lighting apparatus are design and materials, followed by quality and prices.
- In Japan, lighting apparatus trade changes in seasons: the biggest months are October through December, and sales increase during a summer housecleaning period, prior to a new school year in February and March, and a moving season in April.
- Closely connected as it is to local culture, lighting apparatus remains chiefly a domestic-oriented industry. Imports may not exceed 10% of total consumption.
Special thanks to: Japan Luminaires Association
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