The Japanese electronics component industry is experiencing a significant surge in shipments, with the latest statistics from the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA) revealing a robust 14.1% year-on-year increase in April 2024 shipments, amounting to 3,807 billion yen. This growth continues the upward trend, marking the second consecutive month of gains and the 44th consecutive month where the shipment value has exceeded the 3,000 billion yen mark.

The regional breakdown of the shipments shows a comprehensive increase across all major markets. Domestic shipments within Japan grew by 6.5% to 820 billion yen, while exports to China saw a substantial increase of 27.0% to 1,343 billion yen, marking six consecutive months of growth. Shipments to the Americas also rose significantly by 18.2% to 462 billion yen, with Europe experiencing a 13.3% increase to 401 billion yen. Shipments to other regions in Asia grew by 1.9% to 773 billion yen.

In terms of product categories, passive components, including capacitors, resistors, transformers, and inductors, exhibited a combined shipment value increase of 19% to 1,871 billion yen. Capacitors led the charge with a 20% increase to 1,310 billion yen, maintaining growth for the fourth consecutive month and breaking the trillion-yen mark for the 44th consecutive month. Resistors saw a 7% increase to 163 billion yen, while transformers experienced a slight decrease of 7% to 40 billion yen. Inductors showed remarkable growth, jumping by 27% to 325 billion yen.

Connectors, which had not seen growth in the past three months, rebounded with an 11% increase to 500 billion yen. Switch components, including touch panels, also showed a strong recovery with a 15% increase to 359 billion yen. Actuators, utilized in applications such as robotics and smartphone camera stabilization, enjoyed a 9% increase to 367 billion yen. RF components, including TV tuners, filters, and wireless modules, saw a moderate increase of 4% to 240 billion yen.

This surge in shipments reflects the Japanese electronics component industry's resilience and its ability to capitalize on global demand, particularly in the Chinese and American markets, across a diverse range of products.