Sales of air conditioners are on the rise in Japan, the English-language Japanese newspaper The Japan Times reported on September 1.
According to the Japan Electrical Equipment Manufacturers Association, air conditioner shipments in July rose 18 percent year-on-year to 1.306 million units, the fourth consecutive month of growth.
Households are rushing to buy energy-efficient appliances to replace old ones and thus stem rising energy bills. Demand is also growing in cold regions.
Sales are expected to remain strong as the heatwave is expected to continue.
Average temperatures in April this year hit record highs in regions including the northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido and the central Tokai region, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. This has led to a surge in demand for air conditioners.
In July, the country’s average temperature hit its highest monthly level since records began in 1898, boosting air conditioning sales.
According to air conditioning manufacturers, energy-saving models are popular among consumers.
Daikin Industries sells well its Urusara X series, which can perform automatic energy-saving operations.
Fujitsu General highlights strong sales of Nocria W series products, which meet new government energy-saving standards.
Air conditioning sales are also supported by local government subsidies for energy-efficient consumer electronics.
Air conditioners are said to consume about 30 percent of household electricity. Consumers are looking to cut their energy bills, a Daikin public relations official said.
As scorching heat forces people to use air conditioning for longer periods of time, consumers are increasingly focusing on energy-saving options, industry sources said.
More and more people in cold regions are also starting to install air conditioning in their homes to prevent heat stroke.
In October, Mitsubishi Electric plans to launch new products under its Kirigamine brand, featuring enhanced energy-saving capabilities in both cooling and heating, as well as the ability to measure people’s desired comfort level in a room based on their heart rate and automatically adjust the temperature.
The company will also launch a device whose outdoor unit does not freeze even in very cold weather, allowing the air conditioner to continue providing heating.
Source: Rossa Primavera
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