Final forecasts of sales for the financial year ending to March 1990 for the Big Six integrated computer and communications companies have been adjusted upwards: domestic sales of office computers, word processors and personal computers, will be good, and exports will be assisted by the fact that the yen has appreciated less than expected; overall, computer sales are now forecast to grow 11%, the second year running of double-digit growth, and Fujitsu Ltd’s final forecast of computer-related sales is $10,875m, up 6.9% on last year, $9,142m coming from the home market; IBM Japan forecasts sales of $9,575m, up 12.9%, comprising exports of $2,744m, up 10.1%; Hitachi Ltd is looking for the fastest growth in the sector, domestic sales being expected to rise 16.1% to $6,284m, exports to rise 8.4% to $1,287m; high rates of growth are also forecast for Toshiba Corp’s domestic and export computer sales, up 12.9% and 13.5% respectively, for a total value of $3,471m; Fujitsu and NEC Corp are seeing declines in exports – forecast to fall 0.3% and 3.9% respectively – because of their establishment of manufacturing and assembly plants overseas.
