Japanese light industry firms list. Industry in japan. Of the positive, one can single out

The Japanese economy is one of the five largest economies in the world. And in terms of well-being, it is significantly ahead of China, occupying a position between the leading European countries. However, its share in world GDP is steadily declining. The financial system is in serious trouble. And there are practically no opportunities for growth. This article will tell you about the state of the Japanese economy, the history of the formation of its modern structure and the problems that hinder further development.

The structure of the economy. History of its formation

Japan's economy received a powerful boost to growth in the second half of the 20th century. After the end of the war, the state was actually under US protectorate. America has been dictating its political will to the Land of the Rising Sun for several decades. But in return, it was provided with Western technologies - especially in the automotive industry and microelectronics. Japan was able to very skillfully dispose of this resource. And for 20 years it has become one of the largest exporters of high-tech products.

In the first years after the war, the country was actively importing technology and knowledge. An effective R&D system (research and development) is being built, foreign experience is being adopted. We can say that the Americans taught the Japanese to create the first robots and various equipment for civilian purposes. However, after a while, Japan itself begins to export both robotics and video recorders, televisions, cameras, refrigerators and other equipment. Moreover, all products are of excellent quality. The country is gradually conquering more and more sales markets.

Such results were achieved due to cheap labor. And also thanks to building a special business model, which will later play a cruel joke with the economy.

In Japan, a special form of state capitalism has emerged with the presence of oligopoly players. The government actively supported large companies that were exporting products. It is export orientation that has become the main idea of \u200b\u200bthe national economy.

The oligopoly structure of the market was characteristic of Japan as early as the 19th century. It remained so after the US occupation in the middle of the 20th century. But the key role began to be taken not by family clans, but by large financial and industrial conglomerates formed on the basis of partnerships.

This model initially gave very good results and contributed to development. The state actively supported large export-oriented corporations. Stimulated them, provided various subsidies and protection.

In the 60s and 70s and 80s, Japan became one of the largest manufacturers of microelectronics, household appliances, equipment, automobiles, and ships. Products from the island nation are of high quality and not very expensive.

In the 70s and 80s, as in the United States and in Western Europe, Japan begins a transition from an industrial economy to a post-industrial one. The service sector is actively developing. The financial segment is expanding rapidly. The mortgage market is booming. On the stock exchange, quotes are also constantly going up. The peak of growth falls on the 85-90s. Japan is called the land of economic miracle.

However, explosive growth results in large bubbles inflating. These bubbles form in both the real economy and the financial sector. The mortgage segment is becoming a particular problem. The overproduction crisis begins. At the same time, with the growth of welfare, the labor force rises in price. This increases the cost of goods produced. The situation is greatly aggravated by the oligopolistic structure of the economy.

The strengthening of large corporations supported by the state helps to weaken competition. It becomes extremely difficult for small companies to break through. But large conglomerates are given special privileges, and their mistakes are closed. This reduces production efficiency. So-called zombie companies appear - which exist only due to state support and are not able to survive in the free market. Ignoring problems is also observed in the financial segment. It is prohibited to sell large blocks of shares. The growth of quotations on the stock exchange is largely due to the fact that corporations resell securities to each other.

The bubbles in the Japanese economy burst in the 90s. All the problems that were previously hidden are coming to the surface. Large companies turn out to be ineffective. The oversaturated real estate market is starting to fall. There is a collapse of stock indices on the stock exchange. Further, the crisis is replaced by stagnation, which drags on for 10 years. Experts talk about a lost decade.

In the 2000s, the situation slightly improved. But the global crisis that broke out in 2008 finally finishes off the Japanese economy. There is a decline in GDP of 10-15% (comparable to the growth in the 60-80s).

The second blow is the devastating tsunami in 2011, which interrupts the recovery growth of 2010.

At the moment, the Japanese economy is still one of the most developed. The industrial sector accounts for 23%. Financial services - 18%. Health, education and the social system account for 30%. Trade, communications, restaurant and hotel business - 20%. Agriculture - 1.5%. The country is fully post-industrial. Having accumulated fat in favorable years of rapid growth, the state is gradually spending the resources that it has left. Japan has an extremely developed infrastructure (roads are some of the best). The standard of living is quite high.

The industry still produces high-quality household appliances, cars, sea vessels for various purposes. Microelectronics and digital equipment are of excellent quality. A good scientific base helps to conduct research and new developments. Much attention is paid to robotics (autonomous bipedal robots are created). However, in general, further development is questionable. The Land of the Rising Sun is losing its share in world GDP. Its products are less competitive due to their high cost. Growth points are practically absent. However, there are a number of serious long-term problems. The first is a huge public debt, which exceeds the country's GDP by 2.5 times (250%). True, this debt is almost all internal.

Unlike the United States, where a third of the debt belongs to foreigners, in Japan 95% of loans are distributed among the citizens themselves. A significant part is in the hands of large companies. This gives the government room to maneuver. However, the amount of debt still poses a threat and puts pressure on the budget. The second problem for Japan is in the field of demography. The number of old people due to life expectancy is too large in comparison with the able-bodied population. All this makes the further development of the country rather difficult. The government is trying to solve the problem of high production costs by devaluing the currency. But so far the results are very modest. But the national debt continues to grow.

Import and export

The territory of Japan is poor in minerals. Therefore, the main import is raw materials. This is especially true for energy resources. Almost the entire volume of consumed hydrocarbons is imported from other countries. At the same time, half of the oil is supplied from the Middle East. And gas - from Malaysia, Australia, Indonesia. Coal is also imported - from Australia, Indonesia and China. Fuel accounts for about 40% of the country's total imports. Moreover, its purchase is carried out at fairly high prices. Metals and rolled metal products are another important import item. All this makes the state dependent on the supply of raw materials. A special risk factor here can be called the import of oil from the unstable Middle East region. To solve this problem, Japan has been building nuclear power plants for a long time, bringing their share in the country's energy balance to 10%. But the 2011 Fukushima accident slowed down this process.

The second largest (after raw materials) import category is computer hardware, simple microcircuits and various equipment.

Also, the import of food products exceeds the volume of sales abroad.

The main export item of the Land of the Rising Sun is cars and various components for them. Moreover, Japanese cars are famous for their quality and durability. This industry was very competitive until the 90s, which led to trade conflicts with America. And since the country is politically dependent on America, the resolution of conflicts was often not in Japan's favor.

Various high-tech equipment (in addition to machines), household appliances, office equipment, complex microcircuits and computers also account for a large share of exports.

The metallurgical and chemical industries also supply a lot of products to foreign markets, including rolled metal and finished petroleum products.

Japan can be called a high value added economy. That is, the country buys raw materials and produces many products with high added value from them.

Japan's main trading partners: China (19% of Japanese exports and 22% of imports), the United States (18% of exports and 9% of imports), South Korea (8% of exports and 5% of imports), Australia (2% of exports and 6% of imports) , Saudi Arabia (1% of exports and 6% of imports), as well as the countries of the European Union (especially Germany) and the Middle East.

Advantages and disadvantages

Strengths:

high level of technological development;
export of high-quality high-tech products around the world;
a high level of well-being, a large margin of safety;
public debt in the hands of residents.

Weaknesses:

high wages and yen deflation deprive products of competitive advantage;
oversaturation of the domestic consumption and lending market, no growth points;
high dependence on imports of raw materials, dependence of oil imports on the unstable region of the Middle East;
huge public debt in relation to GDP;
aging population.

Current state

The Japanese economy is now in a kind of dead end. As already noted, it has a large margin of safety and has a high level of development. However, there is practically no GDP growth. The share of the Japanese economy in the world is shrinking. The manufactured products are experiencing increasing competition from Europe, the United States and especially China. The goods turn out to be expensive due to the high wages of the workers.

To reduce the cost of production, the government devalues \u200b\u200bthe national currency. A huge amount of money is poured into the system. The yen is falling artificially. However, this does not bring the expected results in the long term. Deflationary processes are very strong in Japan (there is no inflation). During periods of crisis, they intensify. At the same time, overproduction and commodity saturation are observed in the country. Therefore, citizens prefer to keep the permanently expensive banknotes. This has a negative impact on consumer activity.

To solve the problems of high cost of goods and lack of consumer demand, constant devaluations are carried out, and the key rate is kept at zero. With each new round of quantitative easing (stimulus programs), these devaluations are getting stronger. But the effect of them is temporary. At the same time, public debt is growing at a high rate. We can say that the situation is only getting worse over the years. Back in the 90s, Japan had a positive trade balance (exports were more than imports).

In recent decades, Japan has emerged as one of the leading economic powers, the second largest national economic power in the world. Japan's population accounts for approximately 2.3% of the global population, but accounts for about 16% of the gross world product (GWP) at current exchange rates and 7.7% at the purchasing power of the yen. Its economic potential is equal to 61% of the American, but in terms of production per capita, it exceeds the American level. Japan accounts for 70% of the total product of East Asia, and its gross domestic product (GDP), calculated on the basis of current exchange rates, is four times the GDP of China. She has achieved high technical excellence, especially in certain areas of advanced technology. Japan's current position in the world economy is the result of its economic development in the second half of the last century. In 1938, it accounted for only 3% of the VMF.

Black and non-ferrous metallurgy, mechanical engineering, chemical and food industries are developed in Japan. Although Japan is the largest importer of raw materials for most of these industries, nevertheless, in terms of the output of many industries, the country often ranks 1-2 in the world. Moreover, the industry is concentrated mainly within the Pacific industrial belt (13% of the country's territory produces almost 80% of industrial products).

The industry in Japan initially developed mainly along an evolutionary path. Using imported raw materials, such basic industries as energy, metallurgy, automobile and shipbuilding, chemical and petrochemical, and construction industries were practically created anew. After the energy and raw materials crises of the mid-70s, a revolutionary path of development began to prevail in industry. The country began to increasingly restrict the growth of energy-intensive and metal-intensive industries that depend on imports of fuel and raw materials and focus on the latest science-intensive industries. She became a leader in the field of electronics, biotechnology, started using non-traditional energy sources.

I. Metallurgy has undergone major changes in recent years. Instead of many outdated factories, powerful factories were built, equipped with the latest technology. Not having enough of its raw material base, Japan is guided by the import of iron ore and coking coal. Malaysia and Canada were and remain major suppliers of iron ore. The main suppliers of coal are the USA, Australia; to a lesser extent - India and Canada. Japan ranks second in the world for the production of refined copper, after the United States. Deposits of polymetallic ores form the basis for the development of zinc and lead production.

II. The energy industry in Japan focuses mainly on imported raw materials (mainly oil and oil products). Oil imports are more than 200 million tons (own production of 0.5 million tons for 1997). The share of coal in consumption is decreasing, the share of natural gas in consumption is growing (imported in a reduced form). The role of hydropower and nuclear energy is growing. Japan has a powerful electric power industry. More than 60% of the capacity is accounted for by thermal power plants (the largest by 4 million kW). A nuclear power plant has been under construction since the mid-60s. Currently, over 20 nuclear power plants are operating on imported raw materials (more than 40 power units). They provide about 30% of electricity. The country has built the most powerful nuclear power plants in the world (including Fukushima - 10 power units).

III. Japan's shipbuilding industry is very diverse: the world's largest supertankers and other ships are leaving the shipyards of Yokohama, Osaka, Kobe, Nagasaki and many other shipbuilding centers. Shipbuilding specializes in the construction of large-capacity tankers and bulk carriers. The total tonnage of ships built in Japan is 40% of the world tonnage. In shipbuilding, the country firmly ranks first in the world (2nd place - the Republic of Korea). Shipbuilding and ship repair facilities are located throughout the country. The main centers are located in the largest ports (Yokohama, Nagasaki).

IV. The production of non-ferrous metals is material and energy intensive. They are classified as “environmentally dirty” industries, therefore, a significant reorganization of the industry has been carried out. In the last decade alone, the smelting of non-ferrous metals has decreased 20 times. Converting factories are located in almost all large industrial centers.

V. Mechanical engineering in Japan includes many industries (shipbuilding, automotive, general mechanical engineering, instrument making, radio electronics, aerospace industry). There are a number of large factories in heavy machine building, machine tool building, and equipment for the light and food industries. But the main industries are electronics, radio and transport engineering.

1) In terms of car production (13 million units per year) in recent years, Japan also ranks first in the world (industry products account for 20% of Japanese exports). The most important centers of the industry are Toyota (Nagasaki region), Yokohama, Hiroshima.
2) The main enterprises of general engineering are located within the Pacific industrial belt: in the Tokyo region - complex machine-tool construction, industrial robots; in Osaka - metal-consuming equipment (near the centers of ferrous metallurgy); in the Nagoya region - machine-tool building, production of equipment for other industries.
3) Enterprises of the radio-electronic and electrical industries are guided by centers with a skilled workforce, with a well-developed transport system, with a developed scientific and technical base. Japan accounted for over 60% of industrial robot production in the early 1990s,? CNC machine tools and pure ceramics products, from 60 to 90% of the production of certain types of microprocessors in the world. Japan maintains a leading position in consumer electronics and electronic equipment manufacturing. The country's share in the world production of color TV sets (including production at foreign enterprises of Japanese companies is more than 60%, video recorders - 90%, etc.). The products of science-intensive industries account for about 15% of the total industrial production in Japan. And in general, for mechanical engineering products - about 40%.
4) Enterprises of the oil refining and chemical industries gravitate towards the main centers of the Pacific industrial belt - in the Tokyo agglomeration of the Alan industrial belt. In the Tokyo metropolitan area (Kawasaki, Chiba, Yokohama), in the Osaka and Nagoya regions, enterprises use imported raw materials. In terms of the development of the chemical industry, Japan is one of the first in the world.
5) In Japan, the pulp and paper industry is also developed.
6) Retains not a little the importance of the light and food industries. However, there is growing competition from developing countries in many types of labor-intensive light industry production (due to the cheapness of labor in other countries).

Another important traditional branch of Japanese industry is fishing. In terms of fish catch, Japan is one of the first in the world. There are more than 3 thousand fishing ports in the country. The rich and varied fauna of the coastal seas contributed to the development of not only fishing, but also the mari culture. Fish and seafood occupy a very large place in the Japanese diet. The pearl industry is also developed.

A very important feature of Japan's industry is its extremely strong involvement in international economic relations.

Like an immortal phoenix, after the defeat in World War II, the Land of the Rising Sun was reborn from the ashes. This mainly concerns the economy and industry of Japan. After the defeat of 1945, the government of the country had two tasks: to eliminate hyperinflation or to devote all resources to the restoration of industry. Naturally, the second option was chosen, and after 10 years the country's industrial production recovered by 80%. This developmental leap has come to be called the "Japanese economic miracle."

Today, Japan's industry is considered one of the leading in the world market. Despite the high level of dependence on imported resources, the Land of the Rising Sun boasts many achievements in various industrial segments.

Short review

Japan's modern industry is largely dependent on imports of the missing resources. Obeying the need, the country reduced energy-intensive and metal-intensive production, focusing on the development of a knowledge-intensive industry. Despite this, Japan has well-developed metallurgy, machine, ship and automobile manufacturing, energy, chemical, food and light industries.

While discussing briefly the industry of Japan, it is worth dwelling on the economic industry. One of its most important segments is agriculture, which produces 2% of the GDP and meets the food needs of residents by 70%. The main role in it is assigned to crop production, mainly rice cultivation. Livestock breeding (pig breeding, poultry, cattle) is also intensively developing. Due to the favorable location of the Japanese islands, fishing is actively conducted in the country. For this business, the country has acquired one of the largest fishing fleets, its number exceeds 400 thousand vessels.

Although Japan's economy and industry are affected by frequent earthquakes and tsunamis, this is not a reason to stop being the best. Until the 1950s, heavy industry was at the center of industrial potential. Today, all of its segments are actively developing, and the share of Japanese industry in world production is 14%.

Metallurgy

Few people know, but Japan has long traded in ferrous and non-ferrous metals. Perhaps this is one of the most important branches of international communication. In the 70s of the last century, the metallurgical industry of Japan reached its apogee - the country overtook the USA in steelmaking. This became possible thanks to the capital construction of metallurgical plants. In just 10 years, 20 new enterprises have grown in the country.

Since the 1980s, a decline in production has been outlined in metallurgy due to the energy crisis; the amount of production has not returned to its previous indicators, but has remained stable. Today Japan supplies 15% of the world's steel demand. The technological equipment of enterprises is much higher than similar factories in advanced countries. Of the 14 largest metallurgical enterprises in the world, 8 belong to Japan, which in itself is a high figure.

Energy

Energy plays an important role in the Japanese industry. The development of this industry can be divided into 5 stages:

1950s.Hydroelectric power plants are the main suppliers of electricity. There were 600 stations throughout the country. But by the end of the decade, their productivity began to decline, and the constant use of river sections strongly affected. Thermal power plants become the leading energy producers
1960s... Japan began to import cheap oil, which made it possible to build thermal power plants throughout the country. After all, they used to be built in close proximity to coal basins. By the mid-70s, thermal power plants provided 80% of electricity.
1970s... Japan's energy industry was hit by a crisis. Oil has risen sharply in price, which has led to a revision of energy concepts. Oil was replaced by imported coal, and natural gas was widely used. The first geothermal power plant was built. But the government put its main stake on the rapid development of nuclear energy.
1980s... Development of electric power capacity. Energy comes not only from thermal power plants, hydroelectric power plants and nuclear power plants, but also from alternative sources.
1990s... The last, promising, stage of energy development. At this time, the government decided to make maximum use of all the power and capabilities of the nuclear power plant. At the same time, develop alternative energy sources in parallel.

Japan's energy consumption now accounts for 5% of world production. The country has 39 nuclear power units. Unconventional energy sources that were hoped for in the 1980s and 1990s now only supply 1% of total energy consumption.

Cars

This industry specialization in Japan is considered one of the most developed in the world. Due to the energy crisis of the 70s, the demand for Japanese cars that consumed less fuel increased. Scientists developed small-sized machines with energy consumption of gasoline for the domestic market, but soon they became in demand on the world market. By the end of the 80s, the country produced 10 million cars and by the early 90s became the leader among the countries that produce cars. Japan held the honorable 1st place for 15 years. Then the yen rate rose, and production decreased slightly, but even today Japanese car factories operate in different parts of the world.

Now the country is in second place in car production. The largest concerns are: Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mazda and Mitsubishi.

Mechanical engineering

As for other branches of mechanical engineering, at the beginning of the 1990s they made a bias towards science-intensive manufacturing, which did not require a large amount of raw materials. Robotics is an example of this trend. In the late 1980s, scientists made the first attempts at creating a humanoid robot. Every year they improve their developments. As a result, they got a modern robot-android ASIMO, which possesses the rudiments of the world's first artificial intelligence.

A lot of efforts have been made to improve the manufacture of metal-cutting machine tools, which since 1982 have been leaders in the world market. Japan also occupies the first positions in the production of consumer electronics. It is worth noting that at the beginning of the 60s, practically no products of this kind were produced here, but already in 1993 the share of microelectronics and household appliances in the market was 46%.

The traditional specialization of Japanese industry did not recede into the background either. Thus, shipbuilding is still a segment of international specialization. The supply of ships to the world market is over 28%.

Aircraft construction

It was only in the 1960s that this segment began to receive sufficient attention in Japan. The development of the industry in the field of aviation and rocketry, despite the small production output, experts consider the main basis of the economy in the near future.

In the late 1960s, aircraft construction specialists began developing their own aircraft model. 1973 was marked by the creation of the first domestic ultrasonic aircraft T-2. This model became the prototype for the design of the F-1 fighter.

For many indicators, this segment is inferior to aircraft production in Europe and the United States. However, it is the main component of the country's military potential. Half of the factories in the aircraft industry are engaged in the manufacture of products for military purposes.

Electronics

It is important to pay attention to Japan's electronics manufacturing industry. The government expresses tremendous support for the electronics factories. Since the production of any devices is based on experimental and scientific work, this requires huge material costs. However, they pay off.

In the international market, such products as devices for aerial photography, microscopes, microcircuits, video cameras, cameras, navigators, and medical equipment are highly valued. It is of high quality and is mostly equipped with human-readable control (CNC).

Chemical industry

One of the main industries in Japan. Some of its industries (cosmetics, paints and varnishes, technical oils and medicines) have existed for a long time. A new round of development in chemical production received when they began to actively process waste from forestry and metallurgy.

In the 1960s, the production of petrochemicals began. This made it possible to create synthetic products. They could be used as a new type of raw material with low prices. Japan is considered one of the largest producers of soda, sulfuric acid, ammonium sulfate, synthetic resins, plastics and rubber, and artificial fibers.

The area of \u200b\u200bbiochemical research has not been deprived of the attention of experts: medicines, means for protecting agricultural plants, vitamins and acids make up a good part of export products.

Light industry

The light and food industries were the first to be caught up in the industrialization of the 20th century. The technical reconstruction of large enterprises has noticeably affected the textile industry, which annually surpasses Europe and the United States in terms of turnover. For work, domestic chemical fibers are used, as well as imported cotton and wool.

The production of ceramics plays an important role. In modern realities, this is not only a tribute to cultural traditions, but also a rather profitable business, because 170 kaolin deposits have been discovered in Japan. Woodworking is also developing rapidly and effectively in the country. As of 2015, there are more than 30,000 sawmills and plywood factories in Japan.

Agriculture and forestry

Agriculture occupies an important position in the economy, which provides the bulk of food demands. In general, it rests on small landowners, most of whom are women or retirees.

55% of all cultivated area is devoted to rice, which forms the basis of the daily diet. Gardening develops according to established traditions: citrus fruits, tea and mulberries are grown in subtropical regions; in the north and upland areas - apples.

Animal products are still lagging behind demand, although they have increased by more than 70% since the 1960s.

The area of \u200b\u200bforests on the territory of the country is 5 times higher than the area of \u200b\u200bland allotted for agricultural needs. Therefore, many peasants are employed not only in agriculture, but also in forestry, which satisfies 50% of the market demand.

Fishing

Fishing also plays an important role in the industry. After all, Japan is, first of all, a fishing state. They are actively fishing for seafood in deep waters. Closer to the shore, fish are caught from the longboats. In terms of fish catch, the country ranks first in the world, and seafood is the basis of the diet. Mariculture is actively developing in Japan. As early as the 8th century, the Japanese learned to create artificial reefs, spawning grounds and fish pastures.

In addition to fishing, the inhabitants of Japan are engaged in the pearl industry. 500 shells are removed from the ocean floor every year. But if earlier they tried to find real pearls in them, now shells are needed for their artificial cultivation.

And wherever progress runs, only Japan can harmoniously combine the new and the traditional. Industry and agriculture were able to get back on their feet only thanks to this feature of the Japanese people.

Much of the global community is surprised at how Japan's industry is organized. Many people cannot understand how a medium-sized state, occupying an archipelago without any mineral deposits, has been among the leaders of the world economy for many decades.

Japan accounts for 12% of world industrial production.

But literally 70–80 years ago, Japanese goods were not in demand, since the quality of their manufacture left much to be desired.

Industry

Since the second half of the twentieth century, the economic doctrine of Japanese industry has been radically revised by the state. In addition to supporting the flagship of the economy, which was light industry, priority was given to heavy industry. A special niche has been allocated for high-tech developments.

Already by the 70s, the Land of the Rising Sun amazed the whole world with its advanced development rates in such industries as electronics, instrument making, mechanical engineering, shipbuilding, medicine and science.

Japan is a country with a very highly developed industry.

Automotive

For more than 45 years, the automotive industry in Japan has been one of the most developed in the world. The largest centers are formed in such industrial regions as Tokyo, Yokohama, Nagoya, Osaka, Kobe. Today, this industry is rightfully defining the face of Japan.

Despite the automation of processes, the industry employs about six million people around the world and about 700 thousand in the country itself. The automotive industry provides 1/10 of the state's GDP.

The active development of the production of cars began in the mid-1920s. The trigger for the automotive industry was the 1923 earthquake. A natural disaster destroyed railway and tram lines.

The country needed trucks, buses and cars. Initially, the American companies "Ford" and "General Motors" built their factories near Tokyo. During the Second World War, production facilities were destroyed by bombing.

By the 50s, most of the enterprises were restored, and the first production of cars amounted to 30,000 units per year. The Korean War (between North and South) had a global impact on the Japanese automotive industry. The US Army ordered huge quantities of Toyota, Nissan, Isuzu trucks and cars for its needs.

This video tells about the origin, development and formation of the mechanical engineering of the Japanese auto industry.

The quality of the products grew along with the volume. At the end of hostilities, the "Japanese machine" could not be stopped. By 1980, Nihon koku surpassed America in the number of cars produced, taking first place in the world.

The number of cars produced in the USA and Japan (thousand units, 1960-2005)

Country	1960 g.	1970 year	1980 year	1985 year	1990	1995 year	2000 year	2005 year
Japan	760	5290	11 045	12 300	13 490	10 195	9480	11 500
USA	7870	7830	8010	11 430	9780	12 065	12 775	11 300

After the 1973-1974 fuel crisis. economical Japanese cars have taken over the American market and continue to dominate it to this day. The flagship auto concerns Toyota, Nissan, Honda and Mazda have a network of manufacturing facilities in the United States and other parts of the world. The cars are of high quality and enjoy well-deserved respect from car owners of any country.

Electronics

The general development of heavy industry and science since the 1950s directly influenced the rapid development of electronics in Japan. Together with cars, the country began to export technically sophisticated goods. In the late 60s, Japanese radios and televisions became better than American ones.

By the mid-1980s, Western markets were jammed with VCRs and video cameras from the Land of the Rising Sun. Japan has made incredible technological breakthroughs in this industry. The development and manufacture of more complex equipment - computers - began.

Companies from Japan have been holding the leading positions in the global market of electronic devices for a long time.

The electronics industry currently employs about 1.6 million Japanese people. More than half of them are working on new types of communication.

The aircraft industry in Japan began to really develop only in the 1970s, thanks to agreements with Western countries.

Today, there are 146 registered enterprises in the country engaged in the development and production of aviation equipment. The existing capacities are capable of satisfying 96% of internal needs.

The largest aircraft manufacturers:

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
Kawasaki Heavy Industries.
Fuji Heavy Industries.
IHI is the leader in Japanese aircraft engine building.

* For the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries manufactures a center section with wing consoles and some fuselage modules.

Shipbuilding

The oldest industry in Japan, shipbuilding, remained the leading one for many centuries. The modern production facilities of the shipbuilding industry allow building ships of all types and purposes.

The center of the industrial and industrial district of Kanto stretches between Kawasaki, Tokyo and Yokohama. A total of 75 shipbuilding companies are registered in Japan. The leading enterprises are Universal Shipbuilding (USA), Mitsubishi, Kawasaki and Sasebo.

SHIPBUILDING is one of the leading industries in Japan.

During this period, the demand for civilian ships is falling due to a decrease in ship traffic. The growing competition also affects the decrease in sales. But the industry is doing well as orders from the military have increased significantly.

Many companies have equipped shipyards for the construction of aircraft, helicopter carriers and other ships for the Japanese and US navies.

Robotics

Along with the development of electronics, the robotics industry began to develop rapidly. The first robot in the world was created in Japan in the mid-60s. Now this industry is one of the leading in the country and has practically no competitors in the world.

The government is actively involved in the development of the industry, providing inventors with preferential working conditions.

At the moment, Japan produces about 45% of industrial robots in the world. Leading organizations for the development of robotic tools are the national universities of Aizu, Iwasaki, Tohoku, Tsukuba, Hokkaido, Ritsumeikan, Kagawa, as well as the Polytechnic Institute in Shibaura. The military of Japan and the United States are showing particular interest in remotely controlled robotics.

Find out what abilities robots are endowed with from the video below.

Robots are no less in demand in everyday life. Caring for the disabled and the elderly is already being practiced automatically. Human-like robots are being created that are capable of performing the functions of social workers.

Innovation has come in handy in the healthcare industry as well. The main developers and manufacturers of robots are Sony, Honda, Toyota, Mitsubishi Electric, Panasonic, Kawasaki and Yamaha.

* The Mitsubishi Research Institute reported in 2019 that robots will occupy 7.4 million human jobs in the country by 2030.

Chemical industry

The chemical industry felt the main impetus in the 60s. with an increased demand for energy, which was generated by gas and oil products. It is waste oil products that have become an excellent raw material for the chemical industry.

During this period, the Japanese chemical industry is the favorite in the Asian market and ranks second in the world. The main manufacturers of goods in this segment are the following corporations:

Asahi Chemical;
Asahi Glas;
Fuji Photo Film;
Sekisui Chemical;
Mitsubishi Chemical.

Almost all companies are engaged in petrochemicals. Depending on the specialization, the enterprises produce synthetic rubber, polymers, chemical fibers and others. In addition to petrochemicals, corporations are engaged in the manufacture of biochemistry, which includes pharmaceuticals and fertilizers.

The largest diversified areas of the chemical industry

It is also worth mentioning the country's ecology. Learn more about ecology.

Today Japan is one of the most industrialized countries in the world, accounting for about 12 percent of world industrial production.

The most rapidly developing industries are those based on advanced technologies, such as the production of communications and informatics, the production of new composite materials, and biotechnology.

The Land of the Rising Sun is now ranked 1st in the world in the production of ships, metal-cutting machines, industrial robots, photographic equipment and other high-tech products.

The production of consumer goods, largely export-oriented, is at a high level. The production of medical electronic equipment, microelectronics, and CNC machines is constantly increasing. Japan plans to explore near space soon.

For quite a long time, the basis of Japan's energy industry was coal and wood. However, the growth of heavy industry has led to significant changes in the energy base of East Japan, where the most energy-intensive industries are concentrated. The scale of consumption of imported oil and coal has sharply increased, while the share of national energy sources has noticeably decreased. The energy base of Japanese industry is highly vulnerable, as almost 80% of it depends on oil imports.

Japan currently consumes 5% of the world's electricity production. In the 50s of the last century, the main share in the generation of electricity belonged to hydroelectric power plants (HPPs), but since the beginning of the 60s, thermal power plants (TPPs), operating on domestic coal, began to be actively built. In the 70s, construction of nuclear power plants (NPPs) began in Japan, but after the accident in 2011 at the nuclear power plant in Fukushima, the Japanese government abandoned the prospect of developing this direction.

The use of unconventional energy sources is of great interest to Japan. Japan is a country of active and extinct volcanoes. Here, especially on the island of Honshu, thousands of hot springs, geysers and fumaroles are known. Already in the 70s. the first geothermal power plant was built here. By the beginning of the 90s. there were already millions of "solar houses" in the country, in which solar radiation is used to heat rooms and heat water.

Ferrous metallurgy is one of the old industries that, at the present stage of development of the world economy, are experiencing a chronic decline in production due to the transition to composite materials and a decrease in the production of metal-consuming products. Nevertheless, for Japan, the production of rolled metal has been and remains one of the most important branches of international specialization.

Currently, Japan provides 14-15% of the world's total steel production. Steel smelting in 1999 amounted to 101.651 million tons. It should be borne in mind that the technical level of metallurgical enterprises in Japan is much higher than the level of similar enterprises in the United States and Western Europe. Steel is smelted only by the most advanced methods - oxygen-converter (70%) and electric steelmaking (30%). Almost all of its casting takes place on continuous casting machines. Japan has been and remains the world's largest exporter of steel and rolled products (20-30 million tons per year), which are sent to the United States, China, the countries of Southeast, South-West Asia, and other regions of the world. However, these exports have recently been gradually decreasing, both due to a decrease in demand for ferrous metal and due to increased competition from the Republic of Korea, Taiwan, which sell steel and rolled products at lower prices. Japan annually exports 24-26 million tons of steel.

Mechanical engineering forms the core of Japanese industry. In terms of the value of the products of this industry, the country is second only to the United States, in terms of the share of mechanical engineering in the structure of the manufacturing industry (37%), it ranks third, and in terms of its share in exports (75%) - first in the world. The sectors of international specialization in Japan are especially distinguished - the automotive industry, shipbuilding, machine tool building, robotics, consumer electronics and optics, and watch production. This is the result of a deep restructuring of Japanese industry.

In the 80s - early 90s. of the last century, new changes were outlined in this structure. The main one is an even greater bias towards science-intensive industries, focused primarily on qualified personnel and R&D, which do not require a large amount of raw materials and fuel. An example of this is the traditional robotics industry. The country came out on top in the production of metal-cutting machine tools back in 1982. At the same time, it accounted for almost half of the world production of CNC machines. Japan is still the leader in their production today.

To imagine Japan's truly space-based takeoff in the field of consumer electronics, it is enough to recall that in 1960 it did not produce televisions at all, and produced only 300 thousand radio receivers. But Japan is confidently leading not only in consumer electronics, its share in the global microelectronics production in 1993 . was 46%.

At the same time, traditional industries are not leaving the scene either. An example of this is shipbuilding, where Japan has been holding the world leadership since 1956. True, in the 80s. its share has decreased (from more than 50% to about 40%). Currently, the share of Japanese shipbuilding companies is 28.1%. Now the Republic of Korea is "stepping on its heels" (27.7%). However, shipbuilding continues to be one of the branches of international specialization in Japan.

The Japanese auto industry is another example of this kind. Automotive manufacturing in Japan originated in the mid-1920s. The 1923 earthquake severely damaged urban transport in Tokyo and other cities. There was an urgent need to replace trams and urban railways with buses, trucks and cars. At first they were purchased from the USA. In 1924-1925. American firms "Ford" and "General Motors" built their first car assembly plants in the Tokyo area, which in the 30s. switched mainly to the production of trucks for the needs of the Japanese army. During the Second World War, all of them were destroyed by bombing, and only in the early 50s. again began to produce trucks and buses, and then cars. In 1950, only a little more than 30 thousand cars left the conveyors of Japanese car factories, while 8 million vehicles left American conveyors.

The second impetus to the development of the automotive industry was given already in the 50s, which was partly due to military orders during the Korean War of 1950-1953, as well as to the beginning of an increase in demand for passenger cars. In the 60s. car production increased almost seven times, in the 70s. - twice more. Already in 1974, Japan overtook the United States in terms of car exports, and soon - in their production. In the 80s. the gap widened even further. Until 1994, Japan was ahead of the United States in car production.

Today, Japan ranks second in the global automotive market. The share of Japan in the world car production is 21.2%, while exporting 46% of the cars produced. Unlike the United States, Japan has long been specialized in the production of economical small-sized car models; after the start of the energy crisis, this direction received a new development. Under the influence of strict environmental laws, technology and production technology have been improved so much that now Japan produces the "cleanest" (in terms of emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere) cars. About 700 thousand workers work directly in the automotive industry in Japan, but in total 5-6 million people are employed in the production, operation and maintenance of cars.

The largest automobile concern in Japan is Toyota, which accounts for 9% of world car production. It is second only to the American concerns General Motors and Ford Motor. This is followed by the companies "Honda" (5.4%), "Nissan" (5.2%), then "Mitsubishi" (3.5%), "Mazda". All these firms not only export a significant part of their products to the American market, which has more than once led to outbreaks of "car war" between the two countries, but also built their own car factories in the United States, producing more than 2.5 million cars a year.

Since the beginning of the 60s. the Japanese aircraft industry developed rapidly. It was during this period that a significant expansion and improvement of the production and research base took place. In the research laboratories of Japanese companies since the late 60s. the development of aircraft of its own designs began. In 1973, the first domestic supersonic training aircraft T-2 was created, which served as the basis for the creation of the F-1 tactical fighter.

Japanese and foreign experts note that despite the relatively small volume of production, the state assigns the aviation industry (along with the industry of technical media) the role of "the main pillar of the national economy of the near future." The state provides organizational and financial support to the industry.

In terms of many basic technical and economic indicators, the Japanese aircraft industry is significantly inferior to similar industries in other leading capitalist countries. However, despite the small production volumes, the industry is an important component of the country's military-economic potential, more than 80% of its production is accounted for by military aircraft.

The main production base of the industry is made up of 60 factories. More than 30 of them are engaged in the production of military aircraft. The industry is characterized by a high degree of territorial concentration. Almost all factories are located on about. Honshu, mainly in the areas of the cities of Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka.

The largest enterprise in the aircraft industry is the Nagoya Aircraft Building Plant of Mitsubishi Jyukoge, which employs a total of 6,000 people at its four factories. The headquarters of the Ooe plant (Nagoya) employs 3,000 workers and engineers. The plant's products include a wide range of parts and assemblies for F-15 and F-1 tactical fighters, T-2 supersonic trainer aircraft, Orion P-3C patrol aircraft, Boeing 767 passenger airliners, N-2 anti-submarine helicopters, and also launch vehicles for launching artificial earth satellites into near-earth orbit. The plant has a number of research laboratories, where work is underway to create turbojet engines together with scientists from the USA, Great Britain, Germany, Italy. Japan has set the task of conquering near space.

Electronics has become one of the most important industries in Japan in a very short time. Since Soviet times, we remember very well that Japanese electronics and household appliances were considered the best in the world. The main directions in Japanese electronics are the production of special electronic devices and apparatus, radios, televisions, tape recorders, radio communication equipment, navigation devices, automatic control systems, and medical equipment.

High quality products of the optical industry (cameras, microscopes, optical instruments for aerial photography, for underwater photography, etc.) have won a high reputation outside Japan.

Chemical industry. Some chemical industries, such as paints and varnishes, the manufacture of technical oils, cosmetic substances, medicines, etc., have existed in Japan for a long time. The chemical industry gained significant growth when wastes from the coal and metallurgical industries and forestry began to be actively used.

The next big shift in the chemical industry took place at the turn of the 60s. of the last century, when petrochemistry was created at an accelerated pace on the basis of oil and gas production wastes. Petrochemistry provides new raw materials for the manufacture of synthetic products at a relatively low price and in large quantities, supplementing and replacing old types of raw materials obtained from waste coal, ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy.

In terms of production of many types of chemical products, Japan ranks third after the United States and Germany.

The range of chemical products produced in Japan is diverse. For such chemical products as ammonium sulfate, sulfuric acid, soda, artificial fiber, ethylene, synthetic resins and plastics, synthetic rubber, Japan is among the largest producers in the world. So, for example, for the production of synthetic resins and plastics (14.8 million tons), synthetic rubber (1.5 million tons) at the end of the twentieth century. Japan came second in the world after the United States; in the production of chemical fibers (1.8 million tons), ranked fifth in the world after the United States, China, Fr. Taiwan, Republic of Korea.

Much attention is paid in Japan to biochemistry - the production of effective medicinal products, crop protection products, the production of vitamins and special acids.

Chemicals are an important Japanese export. Mineral fertilizers, chemicals, dyes, medicines, cosmetics and many other goods are exported.

Light industry. Industrialization of Japan in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. started with light and food industries. These industries are of considerable importance even now. The share of large enterprises has increased, while many small ones remain.

Well-equipped large enterprises have become the basis of light industry. Independent small and medium-sized enterprises survived in outlying districts far from the industrial centers. However, these small-scale enterprises are also carrying out technical reconstruction.

Technological progress has noticeably affected the fate of the textile industry, which until the 1930s occupied a leading place in the Japanese economy. The structure of textile production has changed, equipment has been updated, new technologies have been introduced, the quality of products has improved, the range of manufactured products has increased.

The two main textile industries, cotton and wool, operate on imported raw materials, mainly from the United States (cotton), Australia and South Africa (wool). Large sums are spent on the purchase of raw materials.

In terms of the rate of development of the textile industry, Japan from year to year outstripped the countries of Western Europe and the United States. The production of synthetic fibers, woolen and knitted goods grew more intensively.

Man-made fiber production is mainly located in the southwest of Japan. The most significant factories are located in the area of \u200b\u200bthe cities of Kyoto, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi, in the west of Honshu in the Toyama Bay area and in the north of Shikoku. Several large factories have been built in Kyushu. A lot of synthetic fiber is exported to the developing countries of South Asia and Africa. For the production and export of cellulose fiber, Japan has long been ranked first, ahead of the United States.

The enterprises of the old branches of the textile industry - cotton and woolen - are located mainly in large port cities, where cheap labor is concentrated and where raw materials are delivered from abroad.

Ceramic production, among the oldest national industries in Japan, has always played an important role in the economy, and in its modernized form it plays a significant role at the present time.

Japan possesses a large stock of high quality clays, especially kaolin, in total there are over 170 significant clay developments, in the areas of which there are burning enterprises. The most famous ceramics center is located in the city of Seto near Nagoya.

Currently, up to 75% of manufactured goods are exported to various countries around the world. Exported: household dishes; laboratory, chemical and electrical ceramics; plumbing; handicraft products; toys.

Thus, it can be stated that today Japan has all the prerequisites to continue to be among the leaders in terms of economic development and industrial production.