On January 26th, the Semiconductor Equipment Association of Japan (SEAJ) released statistical data revealing that in December 2023, sales of semiconductor equipment in Japan amounted to JPY 305.799 billion (approximately USD 2.07 billion), marking a 2.4% increase from November 2023.
This represents the second consecutive month of month-on-month growth. However, compared to the same month in 2022, there was a slight decline of 0.3%, marking the seventh consecutive month of contraction. Nonetheless, this decline is significantly smaller compared to the 11% decrease observed in the previous month.
In 2023, the total annual sales of semiconductor equipment in Japan amounted to roughly JPY 3.29 trillion (approximately USD 22.26 billion), reflecting a 6.7% year-on-year decrease. Despite the decline, this figure still represents the second-highest sales record in history, second only to the JPY 3.85 trillion (approximately USD 26.05 billion) recorded in 2022.
SEAJ predicts that aside from the recovery of foundries and logic manufacturers, expenditures from memory manufacturers are expected to significantly rebound in the second half of the fiscal year 2023 (from September 2023 to March 2024). It is anticipated that the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) will continue at 10% until March 2026.
Moreover, driven by the demand for new expenditures related to artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductor equipment sales in Japan are forecasted to surge by 27% in the fiscal year 2024 (starting from April 2024), reaching JPY 4.03 trillion (approximately USD 27 billion).
TrendForce has previously reported that Japan’s resurgence in the semiconductor arena is palpable, with the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry fostering multi-faceted collaborations with the private sector. With a favorable exchange rate policy aiding factory construction and investments, the future looks bright for exports.
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