SAN JOSE, Calif.-U.S. semiconductor companies maintained their share of the Japanese chip market during the first quarter of 1998 despite the economic slowdown there, said the Semiconductor Industry Association.
The numbers from the U.S. Department of Commerce and United States Trade Representative showed the overall foreign share of Japan’s market fell 1 percent, from 32.7 percent in the fourth quarter of 1997 to 31.7 percent in the first quarter of 1998.
“It is extremely important for Japan-both at the industry and government levels-to continue working cooperatively with us to maintain the open markets that we’ve both worked so hard to achieve,” said George Scalise, president of SIA.
“This is not the time for companies to look inward and exclude competitive foreign suppliers,” Scalise continued. “In fact, in light of these financial pressures, it is even more important for Japanese electronics manufacturers to purchase the most competitive chips.”
