JR Freight Reduced container transport Affected by delays in parts procurement from China March 13 18:11
JR Freight revealed that container shipments last month were down more than 4% compared to the same period last year, partly because of the delay in parts procurement from China due to the spread of the new coronavirus infection.
According to the JR freight, container traffic last month was 4.44% lower than last year at 1654,000 tonnes.
The decrease in transport volume is the fifth consecutive month.
By goods, home appliances and information devices such as air conditioners and refrigerators decreased by 18.3%, and auto parts, which had been performing well recently, decreased by 1%, marking the first negative in three months.
This was due to the trade friction between the U.S. and China and the sluggish demand after the consumption tax hike, which had led to a decline in transport volume.However, the spread of the new coronavirus ceased production activities in China and delayed the procurement of parts by domestic manufacturers. It is also said that it is affecting.
Koichi Makai, president of JR Freight, stated in a press conference, "If the economic downturn is prolonged due to the spread of infection, the manufacturing industry may have a considerable impact. I do. "