Japanese companies remain highly committed to Chinese market despite headwinds: chamber
发布日期：2025-06-18 09:25:18 点击量：9次
Many Japanese companies operating in China are highly committed to the market, which they see as an important place to do business despite headwinds such as rising competitiveness and global trade tensions, according to the head of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in China on Tuesday.
The remarks were made at a press conference for the release of a white paper regarding the situation and expectations for Japanese companies in China. The white paper is based on the Japanese chamber's solicitation of opinions from 8,268 Japanese member companies.
According to the white paper, China offers tremendous market opportunities for foreign-invested enterprises and has become a key source of revenue for many of them. At the same time, these enterprises serve as an important pillar of the Chinese economy.
Speaking at Tuesday's press conference, Tetsuro Homma, executive vice president of Panasonic Holdings, who is also chairman of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in China, noted his positive view of the Chinese economy and market conditions.
The survey results show some improvement in the business performance and economic outlook among Japanese companies in China, Homma said. Regarding expectations for China's economic situation, 15 percent of the respondents said that they expect an improvement or slight improvement, an increase of four percentage points from the previous survey. Those predicting deterioration or slight deterioration dropped to 44 percent, down 20 percentage points, indicating a trend toward more optimism.
When asked about their investment plans for 2025, 58 percent of the companies said they planned to increase or maintain their investment. Many also reported rising product demand and growing order volumes, said Homma.
As for satisfaction with the business environment in China, 64 percent of the respondents said they were either "very satisfied" or "satisfied," reflecting an upward trend, the chamber head said. China's visa-free entry policy was cited as a key factor contributing to improved satisfaction among Japanese firms operating in the country.
In addition, a fiscal-year 2024 report by the Japan External Trade Organization on Japanese companies operating overseas found that only 1.4 percent of respondents planned to shift or withdraw their business from China in the next one or two years. This suggests that the vast majority of Japanese companies are strongly committed to continuing their operations and deepening their presence in the Chinese market, said Homma.
Many foreign-invested enterprises, including Japanese companies, have been operating in China for 20 to 30 years. Today, they are facing increasingly intense competition in what is often referred to as the "internal competition" environment, according to Homma. "Even so, these companies continue to recognize the strategic importance of the Chinese market. They are doing their utmost to secure their positions, focusing their efforts on areas where they can remain competitive and profitable, while also actively advancing forward-looking initiatives," he said.
Other challenges remain, as the white paper noted that the surveyed Japanese companies still hope to see improvements in the market environment and the easing of global trade tensions, among other issues.
Despite the impact of factors such as China-US economic and trade frictions, foreign-invested enterprises in China are indeed facing growing uncertainty when making key business decisions, Homma said, noting that "even in such a challenging environment, we remain committed to growing alongside the Chinese market."
Meanwhile, the Japanese chamber head said that to foster a sound China-Japan relationship, it is important to create an environment that enhances mutual understanding and trust. He noted that smooth people-to-people exchanges are fundamental to achieving this goal, and promoting dialogue is especially crucial.
China waived visa requirements for ordinary passport holders from Japan and eight other countries starting on November 30, 2024, a move that Homma said was very welcome, while expressing hope for even more active exchanges between the peoples of the two countries.
