According to the Tankan = Corporate Short-term Economic Observation Survey released by the Bank of Japan on the 1st, the index showing the economic judgment of the manufacturing industry of large companies was +9 points, 5 points lower than the previous time, and deteriorated for the second consecutive term.
In this Tankan, economic judgments are divided between the manufacturing industry, which has been burdened by soaring raw material prices, and the non-manufacturing industry, which has eased the effects of the new corona.
The Bank of Japan's Tankan is an index obtained by subtracting the percentage of companies that answered "bad" from the percentage of companies that answered "good" in a survey that asked nearly 10,000 domestic companies about the current state of the economy every three months. To judge the economy.
Of these, in the non-manufacturing industry of large companies, the lifting of priority measures such as prevention of spread has greatly improved economic judgment, especially in the so-called face-to-face service industry.
"Personal services" such as golf courses and weddings were +18 points, an improvement of 32 points from the previous time, and "Accommodation / eating and drinking services" such as hotels and taverns were minus 31 points, but improved by 25 points from the previous time. ..
On the other hand, in the large companies and manufacturing industries, the production of "automobiles" deteriorated by 4 points to minus 19 due to the difficulty in procuring parts and the impact of strict restrictions on going out in Shanghai, China, and "steel". Was also affected by the reduction in automobile production, which deteriorated by 16 points to minus 6.
“Foodstuffs” deteriorated by 6 points due to an increase in purchasing costs due to high raw material prices, and fell to -11.
Aquarium Expectations for recovery of customers in the summer ...
In the travel and leisure-related industries, there are great expectations for a full-scale recovery of customers this summer, but there are also concerns about the burden of electricity bills due to high oil prices.
At the Enoshima Aquarium in Kanagawa Prefecture, the number of group visitors has increased since the priority measures such as prevention of spread were lifted, and the number of visitors has recovered to about 80% before the spread of the infection.
We will renew the popular dolphin show for the first time in 11 years in order to lead to further recovery for the summer leisure season.
The zookeepers and dolphins are practicing techniques such as jumping while actually including the audience for the first performance after the renewal on the 16th of this month, and we would like to make it a featured event of this summer.
However, what is worrisome now is the rise in electricity bills.
At the aquarium, about 600 species such as local Sagami Bay and deep-sea fish are exhibited, and it is essential to manage the temperature and water quality according to the species of fish.
It is necessary to operate pumps and filtration devices that circulate water 24 hours a day, which consumes a lot of electricity.
In addition, measures against the new corona cannot be loosened, and a blower is installed in each exhibition room in the hall.
Electricity bills have increased by nearly 30% compared to a year ago, partly due to price increases affected by high crude oil prices.
In addition, the prices of plankton, which is used as food for sardines, and hay, which is a favorite of capybaras raised in the museum, are increasing, which means that the burden is increasing.
Kosuke Kawabata of the Enoshima Aquarium breeding equipment team said, "I was happy that the new corona had settled down and the number of customers had increased, but this time the electricity bill has risen. It is weak and the equipment cannot be stopped, so it is difficult to deal with it. "
A new way to enjoy "night time" to extend your travel time Hiroshima
As the economic judgment of travel-related industries improves, efforts to enhance "night time" are expanding in Hiroshima prefecture so that more guests can stay longer.
In Hiroshima prefecture, the number of nights per guest is shorter than the national average, and the challenge is to extend the length of stay.
For this reason, there is a growing movement in Hiroshima Prefecture to propose new ways to enjoy "night time."
Of these, the "Hiroshima Museum of Art" in Naka-ku, Hiroshima City has a "Night Museum" where you can appreciate the works with a lantern in the dark from around 7 pm after closing.
Since the event started last spring, the application rate has exceeded 10 times, as the members of the theater company explain the works and historical background to the painters and enjoy the extraordinary feeling.
A tourist from Fukuoka said, "I stayed in Hiroshima for the first time to participate in the Night Museum."
At the hotel near the museum, a plan that includes a night museum admission ticket has been on sale since May to coincide with these events.
As the number of guests continues to be about 10% less than before the spread of the infection, we are offering a great deal by combining it with accommodation in high-grade rooms.
Aki Yasutake, Deputy Chief of RIHGA Royal Hotel Hiroshima, said, "There is a great expectation that the number of guests who will stay overnight after the evening experience event is increasing."
Prosthetics and orthotics maker "Costs increase rapidly in a short period of time"
In addition to soaring prices of energy and metals, the rapid depreciation of the yen has raised the cost of raw materials imported from overseas, which has become a burden for domestic manufacturers.
Ohara Kogyo, located in Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, is a long-established prosthetic limb and orthotic manufacturer that has been in business for 76 years, and craftsmen make prosthetic legs and hand parts by hand.
Light and durable aluminum is mainly used for parts, but it is said that the purchase price has nearly doubled in the last six months due to the soaring price of aluminum.
In addition, we import a total of 200 types of parts and materials from overseas, but the rapid depreciation of the yen has caused the purchase price to rise by 20%, putting pressure on profits.
In the case of parts such as artificial legs, it is necessary to obtain national approval in order to pass on these costs to the selling price and raise the price, so we plan to apply for a price increase for some parts after assessing the situation such as the depreciation of the yen. Even if it is approved, the actual price increase will be in April next year.
Therefore, we are working to reduce costs by reducing the inventory of parts and materials to the minimum necessary.
On the other hand, about 10 of the suppliers have closed down due to the spread of the new corona infection and soaring raw material prices, so we are also busy securing new suppliers.
Nanako Akiyama, president of Ohara Kogyo, said, "It's a harshness I've never experienced, and the cost increases sharply in a short period of time, I don't have time to prepare, and I can't raise the price immediately, so I have to endure the current situation. I don't want to worry about it, so I want to work on a stable supply of products while devising at the company. "
Aluminum processing maker In addition to soaring raw material prices, the yen depreciated sharply ...
An aluminum processing manufacturer with about 80 employees in Nishinari-ku, Osaka, designs and processes aluminum products such as Shinkansen parts.
Raw material prices have soared due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the depreciation of the yen, and it is said that the purchase price of aluminum plates has risen by more than 30% in the past year, and profitability has deteriorated.
In addition, I am worried about the rapid depreciation of the yen.
After presenting the estimated price to the delivery company, this company has significantly increased the purchase price of aluminum plates due to the depreciation of the yen before actually receiving the order, so the initially shown price is not profitable. It means that there is a case.
For this reason, we are negotiating whether we can raise the price at the time of delivery from the estimation stage, but it is difficult to pass it on to the price.
Kiyonobu Sakaguchi, President of Sakaguchi Seisakusho, said, "Although the material cost is going up, the delivery price is not going up. I'm talking.