４Ｋテレビ 日本メーカー復活の原動力に

The Yomiuri Shimbun February 06, 2014
4K TVs could power revival of Japanese manufacturing
４Ｋテレビ　日本メーカー復活の原動力に（2月6日付・読売社説）

Market competition over so-called 4K ultrahigh-resolution TVs has grown fierce.
　画像がより繊細な「４Ｋテレビ」を巡る競争が激しくなってきた。

We hope Japanese manufacturers, with their technological prowess, will lead this growth market and make it a driving force for the recovery of their TV businesses.
　日本メーカーは技術力を生かして成長市場を牽(けん)引(いん)し、テレビ事業の復活の起爆剤にしてもらいたい。

The main feature of 4K TVs is their greater number of pixels, which influence the brightness and clarity of images. 4K TVs have as many as about 8 million pixels, four times more than full high-vision TVs.
　４Ｋテレビは、画像の明暗や鮮明さを左右する画素数が、フルハイビジョンの４倍の約８００万もあり、高解像度が売り物だ。

The 4K models that Japanese makers began marketing two to three years ago were mainly large models measuring nearly 80 inches, costing as much as about ¥1 million. As a result, 4K TVs remained far from popular, with global shipments in 2012 below 10,000 units.
　メーカー各社が２～３年前から売り出した機種は、８０型に近い大型が中心で、価格も約１００万円と割高だった。２０１２年の世界出荷台数は１万台弱にとどまり、普及にはほど遠かった。

However, the atmosphere has changed markedly as manufacturers dubbed 2014 the “first year of 4K TVs” and put out new models to fully promote 4K TVs. Their offensive stance has become ever more apparent.
　ムードが一変したのは、各社が本格普及に向け、今年を「４Ｋテレビ元年」と位置づけて、新製品を発表しているためだ。攻めの姿勢が目立ってきたと言える。

Sony Corp. will expand its 4K TV lineup from five models last year to nine this year, ranging from 49-inch to 85-inch TVs. Panasonic Corp., Sharp Corp. and Toshiba Corp. have also put their latest models on the market.
　ソニーは４Ｋテレビを４９～８５型の９機種とし、昨年より倍増させる。パナソニック、シャープ、東芝も最新機種を発表した。

There are expectations within the TV industry that 4K models will account for more than 40 percent of 50-inch and larger models in fiscal 2015. The development of new models that are smaller and more reasonably priced will boost promotion of 4K TVs.
　業界には、１５年度は５０型以上での４Ｋテレビ比率が４割を超えると期待する声がある。より小型で手頃な価格の新商品の開発が、普及への後押しとなるだろう。

Futuristic technology

Sony will shortly put on the U.S. market a small, lightweight 4K video camera for home use. Panasonic has announced a small video camera capable of recording 4K ultrahigh-resolution images as a wearable terminal.
　ソニーは近く、米国で小型軽量の家庭用４Ｋビデオカメラを発売する。パナソニックも、身に着けて利用できる「ウエアラブル端末」として、４Ｋ画質で録画可能な小型ビデオカメラを発表した。

Wearable terminals are expected to record sharp growth among next-generation home appliances. If highly innovative mobile devices featuring 4K ultrahigh-resolution and wearable technology hit the market one after another, the home appliance market is certain to be invigorated further.
　次世代家電の中で、ウエアラブル端末は急成長が見込まれる。４Ｋ技術を生かしたユニークな派生商品が次々と誕生すれば、市場が一段と活気づくに違いない。

South Korean rival Samsung Electronics Co. and Chinese rivals have also announced new models, including 4K models. Even though Japanese makers currently lead the 4K market, they need to be on the alert for a war of attrition in which price-cutting competition will intensify.
　韓国サムスン電子や中国企業などライバルも、４Ｋテレビをはじめとした新製品を発表している。今は日本各社がリードしていても、値下げ競争が激しくなる消耗戦には要警戒である。

Japanese makers were overtaken by their South Korean rivals in the sales battle over flat-panel TVs, the primary factor that sent their TV businesses into the red. They should avoid allowing that to happen again.
　薄型液晶テレビ商戦では、日本各社は韓国勢に追い抜かれ、テレビ事業が赤字に陥る主因となった。その二の舞いは避けたい。

How can they retain their technological superiority and develop such products in anticipation of consumers’ needs, while at the same time enhancing their production efficiency? Japanese manufacturers must apply all their brainpower to win out in the international rivalry.
　技術優位を維持し、消費者ニーズを先取りした商品を開発するとともに、生産効率化をどう図るか。競争を勝ち抜く知恵が要る。

To promote 4K TVs in this country, it is essential to improve the related software, including TV programs that utilize ultrahigh-resolution images.
　もちろん、国内で４Ｋテレビを普及させるには、画質を生かす番組などソフトの充実が必須だ。

Test broadcasting compatible with 4K ultrahigh-resolution is expected to start within the year, but there is a shortage of visual content. TV makers and broadcasting stations need to cooperate to create programs and image software appealing to consumers.
　４Ｋ対応の試験放送が年内にも始まる予定だが、映像コンテンツは不足している。魅力ある番組やソフト作りで、メーカーと放送局などは連携する必要がある。

There is a wide range of supporting industries for the home appliances sector. If Japanese home appliance makers can take the lead in this growth market by wielding their competitiveness, it will also help rejuvenate the Japanese economy.
　家電業界は産業の裾野が広い。日本の各社が競争力を発揮し、成長市場で主導権を握れば、経済再生にも好影響を与えよう。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Feb. 6, 2014)
（2014年2月6日01時16分  読売新聞）