At DIY centers and supermarkets, lighting apparatus is sold which can be installed easily, and an increasing number of consumers do it themselves. Desk lamp demand is on the decline, since most desks for pupils come with a lamp built in and the number of school-aged children is decreasing. Annual demand stands at about 1. 5 million pcs., but is on a slow increase thanks to their comeback among the elderly. Floor lamps are not suited to Japanese houses, since they take a lot of space. Instead, fluorescent lamps are used in many cases.
Japan is the largest fluorescent lamp consuming country in the world.
Classified as Class 2 in the safety standard of the Electrical Appliance and Material Control Law, lighting apparatus is regulated as such. More recently, however, the principle of self-regulation has been applied to an increasing number of cases, and the safety standard will be deregulated in a few years. Otherwise, they are not permitted to be retailed. It is expected that interior shops and lighting specialty stores, where they can provide expert advice, will be a greater share. Since the Product Liability Law was enacted, no major accidents leading to a lawsuit have occurred.