Japan manufacturers transfer to the Philippines

Japanese manufacturers transfer to the Philippines due to the country's young, English-speaking workforce following rising business risks that lower their confidence at home such as disasters and a rising yen.

Latest to invest are electronics firm Furukawa Electric Co. Ltd. and adhesive maker Cemedine Co. Ltd who injected $12.9 million or almost P500 million in initial capitalization alone.

Also building new facilities Power Rangers and Gundam toy maker Bandai (more than P350 million), camera and projector optical lens maker Fujifilm Corp. (approx. P1.1 billion), and electronics component maker Murata Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (no less than P300 million).

Companies expanding their presence in the Philippines include Canon Inc., and Brother Industries Ltd. with estimated initial investments of P3 billion and P2 million, respectively. 

Japan remains the biggest investor in the Philippines with total investments of P77.4 billion in 2011