Masuhiro Ogawa, representative, Tokyo IR Kenkyujo. Economist, November 21, 2000. The immense popularity of the personal computer had been the driving force behind the boom in information technology stocks. The Internet, of course, has been the noisemaker in the second act. The sparks have crossed over the Pacific from the United States to stoke a new boom in information appliances in Japan.
Japan lags behind the United States and other leaders in the Internet field.
However, Japanese companies which provide broadband content may help Japan overcome its handicap. Japan is said to have a five-year lead over the United States in this sector. The blossoming of the information appliance sector should energize the consumer electronics manufacturers that have been lagging behind and send IT-related stocks to new heights.