Japan’s record trade deficit raises fresh DOUBTS about ABENOMICS !

[Aepsilons]

I have stock Bose in my car which is awesome. In my home I have a combo of infinity speakers and harmon kardon receiver which sounds equal or better than any Bose home audio.

Handsome taste, my friend.

 

[he-man]

I have stock Bose in my car which is awesome. In my home I have a combo of infinity speakers and harmon kardon receiver which sounds equal or better than any Bose home audio.

discussion was more on headphones and earphones.
In speakers,bose is pretty good but then harmon kardon is like premium brand.

akg k3003 earphones cost 1200$

 

[Jlaw]

Sony still is superior to any Korean or Chinese brand in terms of quality.

Unfortunately, Japanese brands such as Sony, Toshiba, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Aiwa et al are substantially pricier than more affordable / cheaper Korean and Chinese brands. If you go to Walmart, you can get a 50 inch smart TV (Samsung) for $700. A Sony will cost $1200. So, the average American family who may be financially restricted will prefer the Samsung, which will be $500 less than the Sony. But the Samsung brand being cheaper does not negate the fact that the technology within the Sony brand is far more superior, which is the reason why it is pricier in the first place.

Its like comparing a Hundai Accent and a Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, Nissan Altima.

Hyundai will be more affordable (usually $5-10k) cheaper than the Japanese brands.

But it doesn't change the fact that Toyota, Honda and Nissan perform better.

At Sony products comment.

 

[fallstuff]

discussion was more on headphones and earphones.
In speakers,bose is pretty good but then harmon kardon is like premium brand.

akg k3003 earphones cost 1200$

I get your point, I would not pay more than $50 for a decent pair of headphone as i don't use them much. I had a pair of $30 Sony headphone which was good enough for me.

My harmon kardon is the AVR 330 , I paid about $600 back in 2004. It still rocks like a champ even after a decade !!

 

[Jlaw]

No way, Bose will always be Bose...!

I prefer quality over anything.

I will spend the money, so long as it is quality.

Bose? Lol. You're not an audiophile

I get your point, I would not pay more than $50 for a decent pair of headphone as i don't use them much. I had a pair of $30 Sony headphone which was good enough for me.

My harmon kardon is the AVR 330 , I paid about $600 back in 2004. It still rocks like a champ even after a decade !!

I paid $140 for the same headphones used by Beyonce in one of her video. Audio Technica ATH M50 monitor headphone.

 

[LeveragedBuyout]

Just wanted to quickly weigh in on what is happening with the Japanese trade deficit. It's true that the energy imports are aggravating the situation, but there is a long-term structural change underway, which indicates the trade deficit is unlikely to close in the near term.

WSJ from Feb:
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304914204579393572491506470

TOKYO—Japan posted a record trade deficit in January, as imports of electronics components and raw materials surged and exporters failed to boost their sales overseas despite a weaker yen.

The ¥2.79 trillion ($27.3 billion) deficit is a setback for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who has touted the currency's depreciation as key to putting the world's third-largest economy on track for long-term growth. A weaker yen could potentially make Japan's exporters more competitive abroad, leading to higher profits and wages, and lifting employment.

But economists say the benefits of the lower yen have been undercut by a longer-term trend of big manufacturers moving production overseas in order to be closer to their customer bases and reduce the risks of currency fluctuations. A pickup in exports is also dependent on overseas economies, including the U.S., improving, they say.

---

Nikkei, July 25:

Offshoring stymies Japanese export growth- Nikkei Asian Review

"TOKYO -- Structural shifts have kept Japan's exports lackluster as the shift toward overseas manufacturing negates the benefits of the weak yen.
...
It used to be common knowledge that exports tend to rise when the yen softens, since companies can make exported goods more price-competitive. But this has not held true lately even for components, let alone finished products.

For example, autoparts exports to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, where Japanese automakers hold a large share of the market and run many factories, plunged 22.3% on the year in June, continuing a streak that has lasted since May 2013. Exports have continued to shrink since the yen entered a sustained downturn.

Japanese manufacturers' expansion into Southeast Asia has helped improve production technology at local plants. Mitsubishi Motors plans to manufacture a new efficient manual transmission at an affiliate in the Philippines. Now that the necessary technology is available, "production in Asia is often given priority from a cost perspective," says a company official.

Production of electrical equipment, once a major export, has continued to move abroad. Japanese companies continue to lag behind in such areas as smartphones. Vehicles and autoparts remain key exports, but manufacturers will continue to meet growing foreign demand through overseas production even if the yen weakens."

---

Now look again at that graph from the WSJ, and it makes sense. Japanese companies are offshoring, and then re-importing from their foreign subsidiaries. As is the case with the US trade deficit with China, Japan's trade deficit is deceptive when one only looks at the top line numbers.

 

[Aepsilons]

Just wanted to quickly weigh in on what is happening with the Japanese trade deficit. It's true that the energy imports are aggravating the situation, but there is a long-term structural change underway, which indicates the trade deficit is unlikely to close in the near term.

WSJ from Feb:
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304914204579393572491506470

View attachment 42828

TOKYO—Japan posted a record trade deficit in January, as imports of electronics components and raw materials surged and exporters failed to boost their sales overseas despite a weaker yen.

The ¥2.79 trillion ($27.3 billion) deficit is a setback for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who has touted the currency's depreciation as key to putting the world's third-largest economy on track for long-term growth. A weaker yen could potentially make Japan's exporters more competitive abroad, leading to higher profits and wages, and lifting employment.

But economists say the benefits of the lower yen have been undercut by a longer-term trend of big manufacturers moving production overseas in order to be closer to their customer bases and reduce the risks of currency fluctuations. A pickup in exports is also dependent on overseas economies, including the U.S., improving, they say.

---

Nikkei, July 25:

Offshoring stymies Japanese export growth- Nikkei Asian Review

"TOKYO -- Structural shifts have kept Japan's exports lackluster as the shift toward overseas manufacturing negates the benefits of the weak yen.
...
It used to be common knowledge that exports tend to rise when the yen softens, since companies can make exported goods more price-competitive. But this has not held true lately even for components, let alone finished products.

For example, autoparts exports to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, where Japanese automakers hold a large share of the market and run many factories, plunged 22.3% on the year in June, continuing a streak that has lasted since May 2013. Exports have continued to shrink since the yen entered a sustained downturn.

Japanese manufacturers' expansion into Southeast Asia has helped improve production technology at local plants. Mitsubishi Motors plans to manufacture a new efficient manual transmission at an affiliate in the Philippines. Now that the necessary technology is available, "production in Asia is often given priority from a cost perspective," says a company official.

Production of electrical equipment, once a major export, has continued to move abroad. Japanese companies continue to lag behind in such areas as smartphones. Vehicles and autoparts remain key exports, but manufacturers will continue to meet growing foreign demand through overseas production even if the yen weakens."

---

Now look again at that graph from the WSJ, and it makes sense. Japanese companies are offshoring, and then re-importing from their foreign subsidiaries. As is the case with the US trade deficit with China, Japan's trade deficit is deceptive when one only looks at the top line numbers.

Thank you for that input, Sir.

I paid $140 for the same headphones used by Beyonce in one of her video.

LOL. Beyonce? Oh my.

 

[United westand]

Move your industries need much of oil over here ( like polymerize, fertilizers .. )
We will give you the right to explore and harvest oil in Vietnam sea.
And use your oil right in Vietnam, we could give you our land for plant rice and use fertilizers right in our soil ...

Koichi Terui is attempting to grow Japanese rice in the Red River Delta of Northern Vietnam. “I want to try all sorts of things to find a variety of rice that best suits the local climate,” he says. (Seiji Kanda)

 

[Aepsilons]

We will give you the right to explore and harvest oil in Vietnam sea.

This would be a mutually beneficial partnership for us.

Move your industries need much of oil over here ( like polymerize, fertilizers .. )

Japan is beginning to move out manufacturing centers abroad; and the manufacturing plants that are in China are slowly being redistributed to key (stable, friendly) partners in ASEAN. There are 4 areas for us: 1) Philippines, 2) Vietnam, 3) Indonesia, 4) Thailand.

 

[United westand]

This would be a mutually beneficial partnership for us.

Japan is beginning to move out manufacturing centers abroad; and the manufacturing plants that are in China are slowly being redistributed to key (stable, friendly) partners in ASEAN. There are 4 areas for us: 1) Philippines, 2) Vietnam, 3) Indonesia, 4) Thailand.

,
Thailand, Vietnam and India ... are top 3 of rice exporters so agriculture equipment, tech, seed, biologic, fertilizer, food processing ... are among top priority

We cover South and West Pacific, India Ocean for transporting, oil, fishery ... which need high tech to explore, and operating ... too

ASEAN and India make the most crowd community, with nearly 2 billion population.
and with Oceania ... all safe bases with rich resources, huge market, energy ...
And friendly ...

Isn't that what you expect for ?

 

[Jlaw]

Move your industries need much of oil over here ( like polymerize, fertilizers .. )
We will give you the right to explore and harvest oil in Vietnam sea.
And use your oil right in Vietnam, we could give you our land for plant rice and use fertilizers right in our soil ...

Koichi Terui is attempting to grow Japanese rice in the Red River Delta of Northern Vietnam. “I want to try all sorts of things to find a variety of rice that best suits the local climate,” he says. (Seiji Kanda)

Delta region is most polluted in vietnam with arsenic. Sure you want your Japanese master to grow rice there? Are you trying to poison them intentionally?

Contamination of drinking water resources in the Mekong delta floodplains: Arsenic and other trace metals pose serious health risks to population

Release of arsenic to deep groundwater in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam, linked to pumping-induced land subsidence

 

[NiceGuy]

The underlying problem is the energy imports. Since most of our nuclear reactors are de-activated, out import of energy overpowers our export-related profits. Once we reactivate all the nuclear reactors and fix our energy import issue, the problem will be solved.

Many of you Japan-detractors are not reading the entire message.

But what can I expect from Japan-detractors.

@Jlaw , seriously, stop sipping that haterade.

Its very dangerous for JP to reactivate the nuclear reactors again coz JP always have Earth quake and Tsunami , so Fukushima accident can happen again at any time.

Hope u guys can find out a better way, dont let ur kids live in radiation dust.

 

[Daniel808]

Sony still is superior to any Korean or Chinese brand in terms of quality.

Unfortunately, Japanese brands such as Sony, Toshiba, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Aiwa et al are substantially pricier than more affordable / cheaper Korean and Chinese brands. If you go to Walmart, you can get a 50 inch smart TV (Samsung) for $700. A Sony will cost $1200. So, the average American family who may be financially restricted will prefer the Samsung, which will be $500 less than the Sony. But the Samsung brand being cheaper does not negate the fact that the technology within the Sony brand is far more superior, which is the reason why it is pricier in the first place.

Its like comparing a Hundai Accent and a Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, Nissan Altima.

Hyundai will be more affordable (usually $5-10k) cheaper than the Japanese brands.

But it doesn't change the fact that Toyota, Honda and Nissan perform better.

Isn't Aiwa is dead?

superior? I don't know if that happen in your country?
but for me in here, Jakarta-Indonesia. I think Sony, Samsung, Apple, Lenovo, Oppo have the same quality.
but For you know, in Indonesia. Service centre for Samsung is really good in here, but for compare to the sony, I must tell you 'the sony' is really suck.

and someday if you come to Indonesia, you can check it out by yourself.
come to Middle-High Indonesian College and go to our canteen and see it by your eyes. what Gadget we use.
just to tell you,

For Smartphone : Samsung is the champion, followed by Apple, Lenovo, and Oppo.
Blackberry and Sony is already dying in here, Indonesian Market.

For Notebook : Acer is the champion, followed by Asus, Lenovo, and then followed by Toshiba, Samsung, Apple, and Sony.

Japan Consumer Electronics Brand already dying in here, Indonesian Market.
Which has bright future in here, Indonesian market. for Japan's Brand just from Automotive Market. Like, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Yamaha.


Just for reference :

Indonesian Notebook Market in Q1-2013

Indonesian Smart Phone Market in Q4 2012 to Q4 2013



Just for another reference :

Global Smart TV Share in Q4 2012 to Q4 2013

 

[United westand]

Indonesia and Vietnam are markets of entry smartphone only ...

Acer is the worst laptop manufacturer ... but cheapest ...
that's the reason.

I never recommend Acer to anyone, if that's the only affordable one, I advise you take the Acer laptop without dedicated VGA card

 

[Kyle Sun]

sennheiser is a piece of shit though,,,hate that stupid overpriced company

its price is very very high for video game player.