August 15, 2001 – Tokyo, Japan – Global sales of Japanese semiconductor manufacturing equipment totaled 57.85 billion yen in June, down 74.7% from the year-earlier level, the Semiconductor Equipment Association of Japan said Tuesday.

June marked the sixth consecutive month of year-on-year declines, and the ongoing decline is much steeper than the one suffered during the slump in 1998.

Major domestic semiconductor manufacturers cut back their capital spending sharply, led by Fujitsu Ltd., which reduced its outlays for chipmaking equipment by 50 billion yen. Exports, which account for about 70% of overall sales, also declined, particularly those bound for Taiwan, South Korea and elsewhere in Asia.

Toshio Maruyama, president of Advantest Corp. said, “The slump will bottom out in the October-December quarter.” But a growing number of people in the industry now believe that the semiconductor market will not recover at least until 2H02.