May 15th, 2008
Economic and Social Research Institute,Cabinet Office

Explanation of Orders Received for Machinery

1. The total value of machinery orders received by 280 manufacturers operating in Japan decreased by 7.8% in March from the previous month on a seasonally adjusted basis. In January-March period it rose by 3.6% compared with the previous quarter.
   Private-sector machinery orders, excluding volatile ones for ships and those from electric power companies,fell a seasonally adjusted by 8.3% in March, and showed increased by 2.2% in January-March period.
   

2. In the April-June period the total amount of machinery orders was forecasted to decrease by 3.4% and private-sector orders, excluding volatile ones, were forecasted to fall by 10.3% from the previous quarter respectively. This forecast was basically made by summing up the figures from 280 machinery manufacturers.
   

3. In 2007 Fisical Year the total amount of machinery orders it rose by 4.1%. Also private-sector orders, excluding volatile ones, fell by 3.0%.
   

(( References ))

Chart-1 Total Value of Machinery Orders; Chart-2 Private Sector (exc. Volatile Orders)

Table-1 Machinery Orders by Sectors

Table-2 Percentage Change by Industrial Classification in Private Sector