Japanese incentives for ecological gadgets are helping lift electronics sales, according to ministry and industry data, in what may be an early sign of some recovery in a recession-battered economy.
Under a government stimulus package, that kicked in May 15, people who buy energy-efficient flat-panel TVs, refrigerators and air conditioners accumulate "eco-points," which the government promises will convert to discounts or trade-ins for products that have yet to be announced.
Despite the mystery of what the perks may be, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said electronics sales were up 50 percent during the week after the "eco-point" system started, compared to the same period last year.
Last week they were up 30 percent from a year earlier, the ministry said.
Gfk Marketing Services Japan, a private sector researcher that monitors sales data at about 4,500 electronics stores nationwide, found sales of flat-panel TVs were up 60 percent in the May 18-24 week from a year earlier.
Sales of refrigerators were up 9 percent for that week, Gfk said Monday.
Green gadget incentives are part of a larger government package meant to wrest the world's second largest economy from its worst recession in postwar history.
Japan has also made gas-electric hybrid vehicles tax-free and reduced taxes on other ecological vehicles.
Sales of both the Prius hybrid from Toyota Motor Corp. and the Insight hybrid from Honda Motor Co. are booming in Japan.
Orders for the Prius nationwide have topped 110,000, although Toyota had targeted selling just 10,000 Prius cars a month. Honda's Insight was Japan's top-selling car in April, the first time a hybrid clinched that spot.
A separate cash-for-clunkers incentive of up to 250,000 yen ($2,500) for trading in a vehicle 13 years or older won legislative approval Friday, and will take effect in coming weeks.
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