Japan's Murata to build chip plant in PHL

A Japanese electronics components firm, Murata Manufacturing Co. Ltd., is set to establish a 23-hectare chip capacitor plant in the country, a Malacañang official said. Presidential Communications Operations head Sonny Coloma Jr. relayed the information to reporters Tuesday following the business meeting President Benigno Aquino III had with Murata officials at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, Japan. The information was released to Malacañang reporters Wednesday. He added Murata plans to bring to the Philippines a new generation of technology in chip manufacturing through the factory it will set up in the First Philippine Industrial Park in Laguna. Coloma showed members of the Philippine media delegation covering the President’s official visit to Japan a sample of the so-called “monolithic ceramic microchip capacitor." He said the product would be available to the Philippine electronics industry by October 2012 as Murata targets to complete its 23-hectare factory by then. “You will see how microscopic the chips are — very small… This is the new generation of technology in chips manufacturing and Murata is establishing the plant in the Philippines," Coloma told reporters during a press briefing at Tokyo Kaikan. Coloma described Murata company as “one of the world’s largest makers of electronic components used in many devices such as computers, mobile phones, automotive navigation, airbag systems and medical equipment." Originally based in Nagaokakyo, Kyoto, Murata was started by its honorary chairman, Akira Murata, as a personal venture in October 1994. At present, it is considered as the leading company in manufacturing ceramic passive electronic components, primarily capacitors, and it has an overwhelming worldwide market share of ceramic filters, high frequency parts, and sensors. Murata Manufacturing reportedly has 23 subsidiaries in Japan and 31 overseas, including those in the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Germany, France, Italy, United Kingdom, Ireland, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Hungary, Finland, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Korea, and China. Business prospects More business leaders met with Aquino Wednesday, hours before his departure for Manila, Malacañang said. Members of the Asian Business Council led by Nobuyuki Idei, long-time CEO of Sony Corp., spoke with the President to discuss business prospects for the Philippines as they conveyed great interest to invest in the country. Yoshihiko Miyauchi, chairman and CEO of Orix Corp., observed that the level of Japanese investments in the Philippines seemed to have slowed and his company would like this situation to be improved significantly, Coloma said. “He [Miyauchi] noted that the timing of the President’s visit is quite good as many Japanese companies are willing to invest in the country. He mentioned ship-building as an industry with good potential," Coloma added. Idei reported that Sony recently established a call center in the Philippines. President Aquino earlier cited the business process outsourcing industry as one of the major contributors to government revenues — about P14 billion, with 640,000 jobs generated. Council members are interest in knowing which are the strategically important businesses in the Philippines today. The President told them that tourism is on top of the list as it can be considered a “low-lying fruit." Quoting Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima, Coloma said the ASEAN integration will be realized by 2013 and this will be a good investment opportunity for Japanese companies. Apart from his Cabinet secretaries, President Aquino was accompanied by members of his business delegation led by SM Investments Corp.’s vice chairman Tessie Sy-Coson and Magsaysay Maritime Co.’s chief executive officer Doris Magsaysay-Ho. After his engagement with the Asian Business Council, the President met with members of the Japan Shipowners’ Association (JSA) led by its president Akimitsu Ashida. Coloma said President Aquino thanked JSA for its “continuing efforts to combat piracy, especially in Somalia, to ensure the safety of Filipino seafarers". JSA companies employ around 35,000 Filipino seafarers and they continue to make substantial investments in equipment to upgrade training and development, according to Eduardo Manese, president of the Philippine-Japan Manning Consultative Council and chairman of Magsaysay Maritime Corp. — VS, GMA News