Exploration on an Expansion of Production by Japanese Manufactures based in China and its Influence over Japanese Economy

自20世纪90年代末以来，许多日本制造商在中国建立了生产工厂并扩大了生产。在这种情况下，人们一直在讨论日本的制造业是否已经消失。以中国为基地的日本制造商的生产对日本经济产生了什么影响？本研究项目的目的是通过对日本管理人员的访谈，明确位于中国的日本制造商海外生产的目标和战略，讨论当地生产在中国中的作用以及他们在中国的生产和在日本国内生产的关系。通过采访发现，日本制造商，特别是成品制造商，已经建立了生产工厂，扩大了生产，以增加在中国当地市场的销售。他们增加了在当地采购的零部件和材料，但供应商大多是日本公司。另一方面，日本供应商大多在中国建立了当地工厂，以追随位于中国的客户，生产并出口零部件，销往世界市场。他们被迫降低生产成本，以适应多样化的小批量生产和产品的频繁更换。我也了解到，日本制造商只在中国建立了大规模生产工艺，而他们的产品的研究、开发和设计主要在日本进行。他们在公司内部建立了生产分工，并在中国建立了日本公司的生产网络。我可以得出结论，以中国为基地的日本制造商的生产扩张并没有带来日本工业的空心化。

Many Japanese manufactures have built their production plants and expanded their production in China since late 1990s. It has been discussed under such circumstances whether the manufacturing industry has disappeared in Japan. What has the production of Japanese manufacturers based in China influenced over Japanese economy?The purpose of this research project is to make clear the goal and strategy of the overseas production of Japanese manufacturers located in China through the interviews to Japanese managers and to discuss a role of the local production in China and relation between their Chinese production and domestic production in Japan.It is found through these interviews that Japanese manufacturers, particularly the manufacturers of the finished products, have built their production plants and expanded their production to increase a sale in Chinese local market. They have increased parts and materials which have been purchased in local areas, but most of suppliers have been Japanese companies.On the other hand, most of Japanese suppliers established their local plants in China to follow the customers located in China and they have produced and exported the parts for the world market. They have been forced to reduce the production cost to cope with diversified small-quantity production and frequent change of their products.Also I understand that Japanese manufacturers have established only mass production process in China while the research, development and design of their products have been mainly carried out in Japan. They have established a division of production within the company and also a production network of Japanese companies in China. I can conclude that the expanding production of Japanese manufacturers based in China have not brought about the hollowing out of industry in Japan.