Shipments of Japanese construction machinery rose for 2.9% in 2002, the first rise in six years.
Shipments totaled 1,170bn yen ($9.8bn) in fiscal 2002, according to the Japan Construction Equipment Manufacturers Association. Demand from China and other export markets made up for a continuingly depressed home demand.
Exports rose 30% to 563bn yen ($4.7bn), the second consecutive year of growth.
In contrast, domestic shipments shrank 13.6 per cent to 610.15 billion yen, for the sixth straight year of decline.
Domestic sales of cranes fell 14.5%.
