Japan consumers wait months for washing machines, air conditioners

May 30, 2022 | News On Japan

May 30, 2022 (Nikkei) - Home appliances remain in short supply across Japan due to the global semiconductor crunch and supply chain disruptions tied to Beijing's zero-COVID policy, as companies that have resumed production at factories in China say it will take time to reach normal operations.

"Delivery delays began to emerge in May, and we have been telling customers that they will have to wait one to two months for delivery," said a sales staffer at an electronics retail shop in Tokyo.

Microwaves and rice cookers on store shelves carry signs saying that new orders are suspended due to a halt in shipments. Some appliances already owned may be difficult to repair because parts no longer are readily obtained.

Washing machines are particularly mired in short supply. One retailer website shows that 70% of the 40 drum-type machines listed are out of stock, with tags saying "items will be shipped as soon as they arrive." Some machines, including those from Hitachi and Sharp, are scheduled to ship in August or later.

About 30% of refrigerator models also are cold out of stock.

Air conditioners are feeling the heat as well. Supply was already unstable due to the chip shortage, but the approaching summer season has made the problem clear. ...continue reading

Source: ANNnewsCH

Typhoon No. 27 to Become Very Strong, Threatening Ogasawara Islands

Typhoon No. 27 is expected to intensify into a very strong storm with a central pressure of 925 hectopascals by October 4 or 5, bringing violent winds, heavy rain and waves reaching 6 to 8 meters around the Ogasawara Islands as it passes east of the island chain between October 5 and 6. The large and powerful typhoon was moving north at 20 kilometers per hour at 3 p.m. on October 3.

A Year After Osaka Expo, a Peaceful Forest Remains

Nearly one year after the Osaka-Kansai Expo closed, the former exhibition grounds were opened to the media on October 2, revealing that around 90% of the pavilions and other facilities have been demolished, while the Forest of Tranquility remains a peaceful green space at the center of the site.

Time Names Kyoto Mayor Among 100 Emerging Global Leaders

Time magazine has named Shoko Kawata, the 36-year-old mayor of Yawata in Kyoto Prefecture, among its 100 most influential emerging figures worldwide, recognizing her decision to become Japan's first sitting mayor to take maternity leave and highlighting a political career that has taken her from municipal administration to national politics and the leadership of a city of nearly 70,000 people.

First Snowfall Recorded on Hokkaido's Mount Asahidake

Hokkaido's highest peak, Mount Asahidake in the Daisetsuzan mountain range, recorded its first snow cover of the season on October 2, with the area around the Asahidake Ropeway's Sugatami Station, at an elevation of approximately 1,600 meters, blanketed in snow.

First Emergency Bear Shooting Carried Out in Tokyo

Tokyo authorities carried out the capital's first emergency shooting of a captured bear in Hachioji after an adult Asiatic black bear was found caught in a trap near a residential area about 8 kilometers from Takao Station.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Business NEWS

Nikkei Falls as Bond Yields, Oil and U.S. Jobs Data Weigh on Tokyo

Tokyo stocks fell on October 2, with the Nikkei 225 closing at 68,309, down 647 points, as investors took profits after the previous day’s sharp rally and turned cautious ahead of U.S. employment data, rising global bond yields and renewed concern over energy prices.

Don Quijote Operator to Acquire Toys R Us Japan Business

Pan Pacific International Holdings (PPIH), the operator of discount retail chain Don Quijote, has announced plans to acquire the Japanese operations of Toys R Us, the American-founded toy retail giant, taking over approximately 150 stores nationwide while maintaining employment for existing workers.

Japan's Unemployment Rate Rises to 2.5% in August

Japan's unemployment rate rose to 2.5% in August, up 0.1 percentage point from July, marking the first deterioration in five months, according to data released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.

Nikkei Surges 2,203 Points as Micron Outlook Revives AI Trade

Tokyo stocks surged on October 1, with the Nikkei 225 closing at 68,957, up 2,203 points, as investors rushed back into artificial intelligence and semiconductor-related shares after Micron Technology’s strong earnings outlook reinforced confidence in global chip demand.

Nikkei Falls as Ex-Dividend Drag and Higher Yields Weigh on Tokyo

TOKYO - Tokyo stocks fell on September 29, with the Nikkei 225 closing at 65,481, down 396 points, as the September-end ex-dividend adjustment, U.S. stock weakness, higher bond yields and oil-related inflation concerns weighed on investor sentiment.

Osaka Minimum Wage to Rise to 1,231 Yen

Osaka Prefecture's minimum wage will rise to 1,231 yen per hour in October, providing welcome relief to part-time workers struggling with higher living costs while placing growing financial pressure on businesses, some of which are responding by reducing employee hours and introducing robots that can perform certain tasks for the equivalent of just 94 yen an hour.

Japan Private-Sector Pay Reaches Record 4.87 Million Yen

The average annual salary for employees at private-sector companies in Japan rose 1.9% to a record 4.87 million yen last year, marking the fifth consecutive annual increase, according to the National Tax Agency.

Toyota Global Sales Fall 6.4% in August as China Market Slumps

Toyota Motor's global vehicle sales fell 6.4% from a year earlier to 790,743 units in August, marking the second consecutive month of year-on-year declines as high gasoline prices linked to the Middle East crisis continued to weigh on demand for gasoline-powered vehicles in China.

< 2 3 4 5 >