• Survey period: April 8 to April 15, 2011
• Companies subject to the survey: 80 companies (55 in manufacturing industry and 25 in retailing/service industry)
• Survey items

  (1) Manufacturing industry

  - Present status and prospects of restoration of production bases in the affected areas

  - Status of understanding the impact on the supply chain

  - Background to the difficulties in procurement of raw materials, components and parts

  - Regarding difficulties to procure from alternative suppliers of raw materials, components and parts

  - The expected timing to settle procurement shortages of raw materials, components and parts

  (2) Retailing and service industry

  - Business sentiment by industry and business

  - Current situations of self-restraint in economic activities

• Results of the survey

  (1) Manufacturers

  (Present status and prospects of restoration of production bases in the affected areas)
  

  - More than 60% of the production bases in the affected areas have been restored. Less than 30% of the remaining bases are expected to be restored by summer.

  (Status of understanding the impact on supply chain)

  - More than 60% of the materials industry and 40% of the processing industry are able to gage the impact within one week.

  (Background to the difficulties in procurement of raw materials, components and parts)

  - Damage to suppliers: 90% of materials companies and 80% of processing companies

  - Damage to suppliers of suppliers: 90% of the processing companies

  - Impact of rolling blackouts: 50% of the processing companies

  (Regarding difficulties to procure from alternative suppliers of raw materials, components and parts)

  - 80% of the processing industry and more than 60% of the materials industry have secured alternative suppliers.

  - On the other hand, 50% of the processing industry and 10% of the materials industry have not secured alternative suppliers of raw materials, components and parts.(*).

  *Specific items: raw materials of cosmetics (whitening ingredients), rubber-related items, semiconductors and electronic components, etc.

  (The expected timing to settle procurement shortages of raw materials, components and parts)

  - Materials industry: 8% have already procured the raw materials etc. A total of 54% expect to do so by July, and a total of 85% expect to do so by October.

  - Processing industry: 6% have already procured the raw materials, etc. A total of 29% expect to do so by July, and total of 71% expect to do so by October.

  (2) Retailing and service industry

  (Business sentiment after the earthquake)

  - The situation depends on the types of industry and business.
  (Companies handling foods, commodities and emergency supplies for disaster have positive results, but other consumption except for the abovementioned have negative results.)

  (Major causes of decreases in sales and the number of customers)

  - More than 80% replied that the “widespread self-restraint behavior of consumers” is the major cause.

  - 70% of the companies have voluntarily suspended holding events.

(1) Outline of the Electronics Industry

Because of the earthquake, raw materials and product parts factories that have suffered damage are being brought back into operation one-by-one. There are no negative influences on the production of electronics, e. g. flat panel TVs, mobile phones, smart phones, and lithium-ion batteries, etc.

(2) Outline of the Aircraft Industry

Just after the disaster, some factories temporarily decreased or suspended their productive activities. However, they have already resumed their operations and, moreover, expect to achieve overall level operation in May, and full-scale production in June.

(3) Outline of the Automobile Industry

Just after the disaster, the production of automobiles was reduced or suspended but there has been movement toward resumption of production for several models with companies adjusting their operational procedures.

• 1: Emergency Survey on the Actual Status of Industries after the Great East Japan Earthquake (PDF:487KB) Updated on May 1, 2011
• 2: Activities of Japan’s Industry to Revive the Supply Chain (PDF:787KB)
• 2-2: Impact on the Supply Chain by Affected Companies (PDF:177KB) (in Japanese)

• Macro Economic Affairs Division, Economic and Industrial Policy Bureau
• Director Office, Manufacturing Industries Bureau
• Information and Communication Electronics Division, Commerce and Information Policy Bureau

April 26, 2011