Writing Instruments 2005
  1. Products dealt with herein include pencils, mechanical pencils, ballpoint pens, marker pens and fountain pens.
  2. Recent domestic production, export and import of major writing instruments in amounts are:
     2001 
     2003 
    Mechanical pencils Domestic production
    19,810
    17,368
    Export
    9,546
    7,701
    Import
    1,162
    1,087
    Domestic demand
    11,426
    10,754
    Share of imported products
    10.2%
    10.1%
    Ballpoint pens Domestic production
    76,077
    69,437
    Export
    45,266
    40,037
    Import
    5,906
    5,864
    Domestic demand
    36,717
    35,264
    Share of imported products
    16.1%
    16.6%
    Marker pens Domestic production
    40,571
    38,773
    Export
    13,818
    13,025
    Import
    2,253
    2,789
    Domestic demand
    29,005
    28,537
    Share of imported products
    7.8%
    9.8%
    Fountain pens Domestic production
    1,665
    -
    Export
    610
    864
    Import
    1,160
    909
    Domestic demand
    2,215
    -
    Share of imported products
    52.4%
    -
    Note: Domestic production of fountain pens has not been released since 2002.
    Unit: Million yen
    Source: Consumer Goods Statistics, Japan Trade Monthly

    The above data indicate distinctive characteristics common to Japanese writing instruments excluding fountain pens: continued high export percentage and low import percentage.

  3. Recent export amounts and destinations are as follows:
    2001
    2003
    Pencils (Black)
    272
    263
    S. Korea 93   U.S.A. 67 S. Korea 139   U.S.A. 46
    Hong Kong 20   Taiwan 17 Laos 21   Taiwan 9
    Canada 16   Others 59 Hong Kong 8   Others 40
    Pencils (Color)
    166
    130
    U.S.A. 45   Thai 25 U.S.A. 34   S. Korea 19
    Hong Kong 25   S. Korea 19 Hong Kong 15   U.K. 15
    Singapore 8   Others 44 Singapore 8   Others 39
    Pencil leads
    3,642
    2,725
    U.S.A. 2,397   Hong Kong 219 U.S.A. 1,680   Hong Kong 164
    Taiwan 146   Canada 140 Canada 119   Taiwan 116
    Germany 70   Others 675 Thailand 90   Others 556
    Mechanical pencils
    9,546
    7,701
    U.S.A. 5,687   Germany 890 U.S.A. 3,925   Germany 662
    Canada 219   U.K. 205 Mexico 460   France 329
    Hong Kong 197   Others 2,348 Taiwan 276   Others 2,049
    Ballpoint pens
    45,266
    40,033
    U.S.A. 21,186   Hong Kong 2,822 U.S.A. 16,623   France 3,189
    U.K. 2,149   Taiwan 1,978 Hong Kong 2,495   Taiwan 1,793
    France 1,789   Others 15,348 U.K. 1,777   Others 14,156
    Fountain pens
    610
    864
    France 216   U.S.A. 149 France 393   U.S.A. 183
    Italy 29   Hong Kong 23 U.K. 65   China 45
    Singapore 19   Others 174 Hong Kong 33   Others 145
    Marker pens
    13,818
    13,025
    U.S.A. 4,234   Germany 1,250 U.S.A. 3,582   Germany 1,313
    Hong Kong 1,088   France 774 France 1,100   Hong Kong 999
    U.K. 774   Others 5,877 U.K. 559   Others 5,472
    Drawing pens
    1.5
    0.1
    Philippines 0.8   Taiwan 0.3 Chile 0.1    
    Hong Kong 0.2   Saudi Arabia 0.2      
    Sets of above
    157
    115
    U.S.A. 60   Germany 28 U.S.A. 32   S. Korea 14
    Saudi Arabia 12   Hong Kong 7 Mexico 12   Thailand 10
    S. Korea 5   Others 45 Hong Kong 4   Others 43
    Component parts(1)
    8,955
    9,285
    (Ballpoint pen cartridges,
    marker pen tips,
    pen tips and nib points)    		 U.S.A. 3,100   Germany 1,057 U.S.A. 3,133   Germany 956
    S. Korea 647   Taiwan 533 S. Korea 793   Taiwan 604
    U.K. 392   Others 1,796 Hong Kong 591   Others 3,208
    Component parts(2)
    4,795
    5,562
    (Mechanical pencil component parts/accessories,
    barrel and holder,
    fountain pen/ballpoint pen component parts)    		 U.S.A. 1,073   France 826 U.S.A. 1,319   France 788
    Indonesia 428   Malaysia 349 Indonesia 548   Malaysia 492
    India 323   Others 1,796 Thailand 358   Others 2,257
    Unit: Million yen, Source: Japan Trade Monthly

    Owing to their high quality, Japanese writing instruments have found many export destinations including the U.S., France, Germany and other EU nations, as well as Asian nations/locales such as Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea. Total export amount, however, is on the decrease recently, losing ground to low-priced products made in countries such as China, whereas the export of component parts is increasing, suggesting possible use by overseas manufacturers.

  4. Amounts and counterparts of recent import trades are as follows:
    2001
    2003
    Pencils (Black)
    421
    410
    China 222   Taiwan 104 China 223   Taiwan 83
    Germany 45   Myanmar 12 Germany 44   Thailand 32
    Indonesia 12   Others 26 S. Korea 8   Others 20
    Pencils (Color)
    704
    916
    China 321   Germany 110 China 497   Germany 151
    Taiwan 106   Switzerland 27 Taiwan 67   Netherlands 48
    Indonesia 26   Others 114 Switzerland 28   Others 125
    Pencil leads
    272
    386
    Vietnam 108   China 80 Vietnam 170   China 134
    China S. Korea 46   Germany 23 S. Korea 44   Germany 15
    Taiwan 15   Others 0 Taiwan 12   Others 11
    Mechanical pencils
    1,162
    1,087
    China 649   Taiwan 229 China 589   Taiwan 128
    Germany 88   U.S.A. 55 Thailand 75   S. Korea 96
    France 55   Others 96 Germany 60   Others 139
    Ballpoint pens
    5,906
    5,854
    China 1,803   U.S.A. 974 China 2,040   Taiwan 652
    Taiwan 950   France 641 Thailand 408   S. Korea 403
    Germany 572   Others 966 Indonesia 199   Others 162
    Fountain pens
    1,160
    909
    Germany 638   France 260 Germany 408   France 261
    Italy 95   U.S.A. 58 China 37   Taiwan 19
    U.K. 40   Others 69 S. Korea 1   Others 183
    Marker pens
    2,253
    2,789
    China 851   Thailand 404 China 955   Thailand 572
    S. Korea 364   Taiwan 232 S. Korea 509   Vietnam 238
    Malaysia 156   Others 246 Malaysia 153   Others 362
    Drawing pens
    33
    18.1
    Germany 2.8   U.S.A. 1.1 Germany 16.1   U.S.A. 1.1
    Italy 1.0   Netherlands 0.9 U.K. 0.5   Switzerland 0.2
    Singapore 0.3   Others 1.5 Italy 0.2   Others 0
    Sets of above
    215
    154
    China 80   Germany 67 China 63   Taiwan 63
    Taiwan 53   U.S.A. 10 Germany 13   U.S.A. 7
    S. Korea 1   Others 4 France 5   Others 3
    Component parts(1)
    533
    601
    Germany 107   U.S.A. 90 U.S.A. 209   China 104
    France 85   China 74 Germany 97   Switzerland 52
    Taiwan 49   Others 128 S. Korea 39   Others 100
    Component parts(2)
    1,847
    1,955
    China 700   U.S.A. 440 China 1,179   U.S.A. 286
    Taiwan 277   S. Korea 135 Taiwan 174   S. Korea 140
    Germany 113   Others 182 Germany 88   Others 88
    Unit: Million yen, Source: Japan Trade Monthly

    Of all imports, ballpoint pens and marker pens, both of which are mainly low-priced products manufactured at Japanese-owned factories or by OEMs in China, account for 52.2% in amount. Without the need for large-scale facilities, writing instruments in general are often manufactured in Asian countries, particularly in China. A prominent characteristic of fountain pens and ballpoint pens is that they are categorized into two contrasting groups: luxurious brand-name products imported from Europe and the U.S., and low-priced products from China or other Asian nations. While imports of most products are declining, imports of marker pens are on the rise. Behind this growing demand is the continuing computerization that is progressing in Japan. In manufacturing ballpoint pens, Japan's seasonal temperature differences must be taken into account. Otherwise, the ink may leak in summer and coagulate and clog the cartridge in winter.

  5. Generally speaking, there are no regulations on the import and sale of writing instruments in Japan. Imports are prohibited, however, if products are copies or counterfeits of, for instance, well-known brand products. When found, such copies and counterfeits are confiscated and scrapped, with violators subject to possible monetary penalties or imprisonment. If writing instruments are decorated with coral, ivory, tortoise-shell or other wildlife specified in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Wild Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), import of such products is likely to be regulated by the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Law.

  6. With the diversified consumer needs and changing demands for office-use writing instruments brought about by office automation, as well as declining birthrate and its consequence of falling numbers of bulk consumers, i.e., pupils and students, the writing instrument industry is facing an unfavorable market condition, which is becoming more difficult each year. Furthermore, the social environment that lies behind this market condition is expected to remain unchanged at least for several years. To solve this difficulty, Japanese manufacturers should not cease their efforts to develop high-value added products and thereby arouse consumer demand for writing instruments.


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