Summary of Results Concerning Major Durable Goods

Released on July 11, 2000

1. Of the durable consumer goods covered in the 1999 National Survey of Family Income and Expenditure, items with a large quantity owned, high diffusion, and a high percentage change from the quantity owned in 1994 are as shown in Table 1

Table 1 Top Five Items in Terms of Quantity Owned per 1,000 Households, Diffusion and Rate of Increase (Decrease) - two or more person households -

Figure 1 Quantity Owned per 1,000 Households, Diffusion, and Change in Quantity Owned of Principal Durable Consumer Goods - two or more person households -

2. Personal computers, facsimiles, and other information- and communication-related durable consumer goods register substantial growth

Personal computers (quantity owned 485 units, diffusion 37.7%) increased 2.6-fold from 1994 to 1999. Facsimiles (quantity owned 337 units, diffusion 33.1%) also increased 3.5-fold.
The quantity owned and diffusion of mobile phones stood at 1,061 units and 64.9%, respectively.
The quantity owned and diffusion of word processors came to 508 units and 44.8%, respectively.

Figure 2 Trends in Diffusion of Information- and Communication-Related Durable Consumer Goods - two or more person households -

3. Households in their 30s are the largest owners of facsimiles, those in their 40s are the largest owners of personal computers, and those in their 50s are the largest owners of mobile phones and word processors

Facsimiles and personal computers registered substantial growth in all age groups. Although the largest quantity of facsimiles (382 units) was owned by households headed by people in their 30s, the difference between age groups was marginal. The largest quantity of personal computers (604 units) was owned by those in their 40s.
The largest quantity of mobile phones (1,431 units) was owned by those in their 50s, surpassing 1,000 units for all age groups under 60 years old.
The quantity of word processors owned decreased from 1994 levels in all age groups under 40 years old but increased in all age groups of 40 years or olders.

Figure 3 Quantity Owned of Information- and Communication-Related Durable Consumer Goods per 1,000 Households by Age Group of Household Head - two or more person households -

4. The disparity in quantity owned according to yearly income is large for personal computers but small for facsimiles

The disparity in the quantity of personal computers owned between Group I (196 units) and Group V (801 units) stands at 4.1 times.
The disparity in the quantity of word processors owned between Group I (300 units) and Group V (735 units) stands at 2.5 times. The quantity owned by Group I to Group III surpasses the quantity of personal computers owned.
The disparity in the quantity of mobile phones owned between Group I (580 units) and Group V (1,599 units) is 2.8 times. The quantity owned from Group III to Group V exceeds 1,000 units.
The disparity in the quantity of facsimiles owned between Group I (210 units) and Group V (440 units) stands at 2.1 times.
A comparison of the disparity in quantity owned by Group I and Group V with 1994 levels reveals the same level for personal computers (4.1 times), a contraction from 2.9 times to 2.5 times for word processors, and a fall from 2.4 times to 2.1 times for facsimiles.

Figure 4 Quantity Owned of Information- and Communication-Related Durable Consumer Goods per 1,000 Households by Yearly Income Quintile Group - two or more person households -

5. Households owning 3 or more units of color TV and room air-conditioner increase conspicuously

An examination of the proportion of households by number of units of room air-conditioner owned shows that 27.3% of the households own 1 unit, 23.5% own 2 units, and 33.5% own 3 units or more. The proportion of households owning 3 units or more surpassed the proportion of households owning 1 unit for the first time.
As for the proportion of households owning color TV, 29.0% own 1 unit, 32.0% own 2 units, and 38.3% own 3 units or more. The proportion of households owning 3 units or more is increasing.
A look at the proportion of households by number of units of automobile owned shows that 45.6% own 1 unit, 27.5% own 2 units, 11.7% own 3 units or more. The proportion of households owning several units is following an uptrend.

Figure 5 Proportion of Households by Number of Units of Durable Consumer Goods for which Several Units are Owned per 1,000 Households - two or more person households -

6. A large proportion of personal computers, motorcycles and scooters, automobiles, warm water washing toilet seats, and videocameras was purchased within the past year. Compared with 1989, the number of years elapsed since purchase is increasing

An examination of the time of purchase reveals that the largest proportion (27.0%) purchased personal computers "within the past year", followed by relatively high proportions for motorcycles and scooters (12.3%), automobiles (11.9%), warm water washing toilet seats (11.7%), and videocameras (10.0%).
Personal computers also accounted for the largest proportion (52.8%) purchased "within the past 1-5 years", followed by automobiles (49.0%), warm water washing toilet seats (43.3%), and motorcycles and scooters (41.3%).
As for the proportion of purchases made "more than 5 years ago", Japanese chest of drawers (93.1%), wardrobe (87.7%), chest of drawers (85.0%) and other furniture, and piano (89.1%) made up a large proportion. Meanwhile, personal computers (20.0%) accounted for the smallest proportion.
A comparison with 1989 levels shows a rise in the proportion of purchases made "more than 5 year ago" for all durable consumer goods other than personal computers. The number of years elapsed since purchase is increasing.

Figure 6 Proportion of Quantity Owned of Principal Durable Consumer Goods by Time of Acquisition - two or more person households -

7. Young (under 30 years old) one-person female households own a large quantity of refrigerators, vacuum cleaners and other household durable goods while young one-person male households own a large quantity of videotape recorders, personal computers and automobiles. The rate of increase in the quantity owned of personal computers, facsimiles, warm water washing toilet seats, and other durable goods is high for both men and women.

The quantity of mobile phones owned by men exceeds the quantity owned by women but diffusion is almost the same.
The rate of increase in the quantity owned of personal computers, facsimiles, warm water washing toilet seats, and other durable goods is high for both men and women.
The quantity of automobiles owned by men remained almost unchanged from 1994 but the quantity owned by women ballooned. A look at the breakdown indicates that the quantity of automobiles with a displacement of 1,500cc or less (including light cars) owned by women exceeds that owned by men, and the proportion of new cars owned by women is higher than the proportion of used cars. The quantity of automobiles with a displacement of 1,501cc or more and imported cars owned by men surpasses that owned by women, and the proportion of used cars owned by men is higher than that of new cars.

Table 2 Quantity Owned per 1,000 Households and Diffusion of Principal Durable Consumer Goods by Sex - young one-person households -

Table 3 Quantity Owned per 1,000 Households and Rate of Increase in Automobiles by Sex - young one-person households -

8. A large quantity of mobile phones is owned in the Kanto, Hokuriku, Tokai and Kinki districts

The disparity in the quantity owned between highest-ranking Mie Prefecture (1,231 units, diffusion 70.0%) and lowest-ranking Hokkaido (762 units, diffusion 53.2%) is 1.6 times.
A small quantity is owned in Hokkaido, Tohoku and Kyushu.

Figure 7 Quantity Owned of Mobile Phone (Including PHS) per 1,000 Households by Prefecture - two or more person households -

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