According to China-based Solarzoom, nearly 400MW of Chinese modules were exported to the Japanese domestic market in the fourth quarter of 2012.
In the list of top sales for the whole year, Suntech won first place with module sales of US$100 million, followed by JA Solar with US$70 million in sales, presenting itself as the most mentioned brand in the Japanese market. Canadian Solar earned third place with US$60 million in sales, according to Solarzoom.
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PV EXPO 2013, to be held in Tokyo, Japan, this week has attracted many Chinese companies as it has become one of the markets with highest module ASPs and system installation prices.
Japan’s current FiT has provided new opportunities for downstream PV companies, resulting in many Chinese companies entering the market in Japan.
According to the updated export data from the customs office, in the past two months, JA Solar had an imposing performance in Japan, and has raised its shipment guidance for the fourth quarter and full-year 2012. The company said that it expected fourth quarter shipments to be in the range of 480MW to 500MW, significantly exceeding its previous guidance of shipments being between 380MW and 420MW. Solarzoom’s data shows that the company’s shipment has doubled several times, and its growth in Q1 this year remains strong.
Although there are lots of companies attempting to enter the Japanese market, this specific market has already formed its own and unique structure and supply chains, for which, PV companies need to adjust their strategies and choose the products accordingly. In Japan, high performance products obviously became the first choice for PV systems installed in limited spaces. Besides, Japanese customers emphasise more on the products’ quality and reliability, as well as custom services, setting out higher requirements for all PV companies.
Carrie Xiao, Editor of PV-Tech.cn and sister publication, PV-Tech PRO contributed to this story.
