Shipments Of Tvs, Related Items Climb In July
Japanese consumers bought more audio-visual equipment and related electronic devices in July. Shipments went up for the first time in 13 months led by large-screen TV panels.
The Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association says domestic shipments of video equipment rose to 51 billion yen, or about 370 million dollars. That's up 4.6 percent in yen terms from a year ago.
People bought items as coronavirus lockdowns were lifted in China and production resumed, making them more widely available.
The release of new models also pushed up demand, especially for higher-priced products. About 40 percent of the 400,000 TVs that were shipped in July consisted of 50-inch or larger panels.
Overall shipments of consumer electronics still fell 1.8 percent from a year ago. Slower auto production weighed on sales of items like car navigation systems.
The industry association is now watching to see how recent price hikes for home appliances affect consumer sentiment.