2008 Statistics Summary of Japan Boating Industry MAY 2009 Scale of the Boating Industry Table: Total value of shipments (Domestic products for domestic use + Domestic products for export + Imported products for domestic use) (Unit:￥100 million) | Boats | Marine engines | Boat trailers | Nautical electronics | Total | 2008 (Jan. to Dec. 2008) | 267 | 2,038 | ７ | 76 | 2,388 | 2007 (Jan. to Dec. 2007) | 283 | 2,198 | 8 | 83 | 2,573 | Year-on-year % (2008/2007) | 94% | 93% | 88% | 92% | 93% |
The gross sales for Japan’s boating industry totaled 238.8 billion yen in 2008 (January to December 2008) (including domestic use and exports) as shown in Total column of the table above. This represents 93% of the previous year. The total value of product [shipments] leaving boating industry factories, including boats and marine engines, was 230.5 billion yen, which represents 93% of the previous year. In particular, the total shipment value of boats was 26.7 billion yen, which represents 94% of the previous year. The ratio of the total shipment value of boats to engines was about 1:8, showing still a high ratio of engines. As for domestic shipments, the total number of boats was 18,811 including domestic products and imports, which represents 85% of the previous year, a large reduction. The total value of shipments was 25.2 billion yen, which represents 93% of the previous year, the first reduction in three years. The domestic shipment value for marine engines was 15.2 billion yen, which represents 95% of the previous year. As for boat exports, the total number of boats was 4,059, representing an increase at 105% of the previous year. The export value was 1.5 billion yen, representing a large increase at 128% of the previous year. As for boat imports, the total number of boats was 8,900, which represents a decrease at 85% of the previous year. However, the value of shipments value was 9.1 billion yen, which represents 77% of the previous year. Scale of Boat Shipments Observing the changes in boat shipments (including domestic shipments and exports) reveals totals of 26,038 in 2007, which was 99% of the previous year, and 22,870 in 2008, which was 88% of the previous year. The total shipment value was 28.3 billion yen in 2007, which was 111% of the previous year, and 26.7 billion yen in 2008, which was 94% of the previous year. Thus, 2008 showed a decrease in both number of boats shipped and the value of shipments. However, the boat unit prices increased for the third consecutive year at 107% of the previous year. In terms of the power type, shipments of both outboard motor powered boats and inboard powered type boats decreased in 2008 in contrast to the increases recorded in these classes in 2007. The increase in unit prices of the imported boats shipped domestically despite the slow demand appears to be a reflection of the overall increase in size of domestically produced boats. Particularly notable among these trends is the 180% increase in domestically shipped motorboats in the 4-meter to 6-meter range, from 135 units in 2007 to 243 units in 2008. This represents a big change in the small-boat category, which had been decreasing in unit volumes and unit prices for a number of years, and it can be considered a bright sign for the future. Scale of Marine Engine Shipments The number of units of domestically manufactured marine engines for outboard motors, PWCs, etc., (including exports and package sales with boats) shipped was 634,661, representing 96% of the previous year’ total of 660,596. The total value of shipments was 200.9 billion yen, representing 93% of the previous year. Among these, the number of units for export was 96% of the previous year and the value was 93% of the previous year. In comparison the number of units shipped for the domestic market (including imports and package sales with boats) was 26,708, representing 99% of the previous year’s total of 27,102. The total value was 15.2 billion yen, or 94% of the previous year. Also, amidst today’s increasing environmental consciousness, the ratio of environment-conscious models (4-strokes and direct-injection 2-strokes) remains high at 83.2% (82.6% in 2007). The Use Environment The Japan International Boat Show 2008 in Yokohama held in March 2008 at the Pacifico Yokohama event facility in the city’s Minato Mirai district was a big success, attracting 47,000 visitors (46,000 in 2007). Then, the “Mini-boat Festival 2008” held at the Museum of Maritime Science in Tokyo’s Odaiba district in May attracted another 1,300 people, which was also an increase over the previous year. Most of those visitors were newcomers to boating and 1,100 of them enjoyed the experiential boat ride events. The “Marine Station” (Umi no Eki) facilities being established under the government project to provide places for people to enjoy motor boating and sailing now total 117 nationwide. As these statistics indicate, the number of people interested in marine sports and potential boating industry customers can be seen as holding strong, but unfortunately, the number of boats produced and shipped by the industry continues to decrease. From next year, plans call for the industry to implement promotions aimed more directly at building demand. Concerning the issue of boat docking/launching and storage, there is still a deficiency of affordable and readily accessible boat docking/storage facilities and launching ramps for portable boats. One of the practical solutions is making use of fishing ports and currently unused launching slopes and, with regard to fishing ports in particular there are expectations that the joint survey conducted by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries titled “Survey for the Promotion of Use of Fishing Ports to Encourage Citizen Encounters with the Sea and the Use of Boats” launched in 2008 will result in further development of infrastructure for marine leisure and recreation. Meanwhile, amidst increased demand for environmental preservation, the “FRP Boat Recycle Project” launched in 2005 has developed into a nationwide system extending from Hokkaido to Okinawa as of 2007, and in the these four years has recycled a total of 2,200 FRP boats. Awareness of this program continues to grow steadily among boat users. In the areas of boating safety and assurance, the industry promotes a “Declaration of Wearing Lifejacket” campaign, safety education programs for mini-boat users and programs promoting the acquisition of liability insurance by recreational boat and PWC owners. Among these, the liability insurance (including personal injury coverage) policy for members of the Personal Watercraft Safety Association adopted by the three PWC makers in 2007 is now in its second year. Due to active efforts by the makers to encourage owners to take out insurance policies, the insured rate for new PWC purchasers climbed from 72% in 2007 to 78% in 2008. The industry will continue to focus priority on this and other safety education programs in 2009. |
