The latest figures indicate that foreign companies still won only 14% of the Japanese chip market and a new study by the Electronic Industries Association of Japan concludes that country will be the world’s biggest semiconductor market in 1995, with annual demand of $32,600m out-pacing both Europe and North America; according Reuter, the three-year survey found Japanese demand for semiconductors will increase as a proportion of world demand to 35.1% by 1995 from 33.5% in 1989; at the same time, North America will see its market share fall to 33.1% in 1995, from 33.9% in 1989, the research suggests; in Europe, foreign investment, encouraged by the European Community single market, will help maintain average annual growth in semiconductors of 9.1% from 1989 to 1995, when it will be worth $21,800m; in Southeast Asia, economies will slow because of higher labour costs and rising exchange rates against the dollar, but the region still is expected to see 9.9% annual market growth over the period, to $7,700m.
