February 9th, 2009
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 increased by 10.4% in December from the previous month on a seasonally adjusted basis. In October-December period it fell by 21.7% compared with the previous quarter.
   Private-sector machinery orders, excluding volatile ones for ships and those from electric power companies,decreased a seasonally adjusted by 1.7% in December, and showed fell by 16.7% in October-December period.
   

2. In the January-March period the total amount of machinery orders was forecasted to increase by 3.5% and private-sector orders, excluding volatile ones, were forecasted to rise by 4.1% from the previous quarter respectively. This forecast was basically made by summing up the figures from 280 machinery manufacturers.
   

3. In 2008 Year the total amount of machinery orders it decreased by 5.7%. Also private-sector orders, excluding volatile ones, fell by 6.0%.
   

(( 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