Tokyo, Japan–After a record-breaking year of electronics production in Japan, the Japanese Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA) is forecasting stable electronics production growth of 7.1%, or $248 billion, during 2001. Demand for IT-related products–such as digital AV equipment, and electronic components and devices–is expected to drive the year-on-year rise in production, according to JEITA’s ‘2001 Domestic Production Forecasts for the Japanese Electronics Industry’.

Total electronics production in Japan reached a record high in 2000 of $231.4 billion, an increase of 10.1% from 1999, and surpassed an industry record set in 1997. Behind this growth are favorable demand for IT-related products such as PCs and cellular telephones, and equipment for high-capacity data communications infrastructures.

Although the potential exists for an economic slowdown in the U.S., stable development is foreseen in Asia and Europe, JEITA reports. Demand for IT-related products–such as PCs and next-generation cellular telephones–is expected to increase in 2001, as is demand for electric measuring instrumentation for semiconductors and ICs.