They boast large global market shares in specialised niches: ceramics and other fine materials for semiconductors, tiny motors for hard drives and other digital equipment, a range of sophisticated machines for making liquid-crystal display panels, and so forth.

ECONOMIST: Manufacturing in Japan

Mabuchi Motor has half the world market for tiny electric motors used in electronic gadgets and computer drives.

ECONOMIST: Japan��s growth companies

More than a grid company, ABB makes more electric motors and energy-saving motor controls called drives than any other company in the world.

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Two others, somewhat less well known: Kyocera, which makes telecom gear and various electronic components, and Nidec, which manufactures things like spindle motors for computer hard drives.

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For example, rather than purchase expensive ultra-efficient motors, low cost opportunistic additions to old fans and pumps such as variable frequency drives and demand controls can deliver equal energy savings at a fraction of the cost.

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