Japan’s PCB output has grown for five consecutive months, yet the output of flexible PCB’s has continued to shrink — plummeting by nearly 40%, to the point whereby the stock price of Japanese flexible PBC manufacturers is dropping. According to iQuote-MoneyDJ (XQ global winner system), the stock price of Fujikura plunged sharply by 3.22% and NOK by 0.60%, at closing of the Japanese stock market on the morning of the 18th (10:30am, Taipei time). So far, the stock price of Fujikura and NOK has fallen this year by 33.41% and 29.68%, respectively. Based on the statistic figures released by the Japan Electronics Packaging Circuits Association (JPCA) on the 17th, it can be pointed out that the output of printed circuit boards (PCB; rigid PCB + flexible PCB + module substrate) in Japan, for June 2020, were greatly reduced when compared with the performance of the same month in the previous year. There was a reduction of 23.7%, to 803,000 square meters; this shows a decline for the 19th consecutive month. As a result, the yield has increased by 2.5%, to 39.898 billion Yen; this shows an increase for the 5th consecutive month.
　　If this is viewed in terms of types, the output of rigid PCB’s in June shrank by 18.2% from the same month as that of last year to 653,000 square meters, with the second consecutive month shrinking as well. On the other hand, the yield has increased by 9.6% to 27.655 billion Yen, marking the sixth consecutive month of growth.
　　The production of flexible PCB plummeted by 47.2% to 96,000 square meters, shrinking for the 37th consecutive month. The yield rate has been reduced by about 40% (38.9%) to 2.005 billion Yen, marking a decrease for the third consecutive month.
　　Module substrate production fell by 26.2% to 55,000 square meters, showing a decline for the 13th consecutive month. And Yield growth has shrunk by 1.5% to 10.238 billion Yen, declining for the second consecutive month.
　　Cumulatively, Japan’s PCB production from January to June 2020 has dropped by 12.8% from that of the same period last year, at 5.531 million square meters, with its yield growth increasing by 7.2% to 235.549 billion Yen.
　　Amongst these, the output of rigid PCB fell by 7.3% to 4.413 million square meters, with the yield increasing by 12.1% to 165.866 billion Yen. On the other hand, the output of flexible PCB fell by 32.4% to 777,000 square meters, with its yield decreasing by 26.7% to 13.268 billion Yen. As for module substrate, the output decreased by 20.7% to 342,000 square meters, with its yield increasing by 4.9% to 56.405 billion Yen.
　　In summary, the primary PCB suppliers in Japan include Ibiden, CMK, Nippon Mektron under NOK, Fujikura, Shinko, Meiko, etc. (News source: Money DJ.com)