Four in ten Japanese firms delay PC purchases as prices surge, survey shows

Four in ten Japanese companies have postponed PC procurement or upgrades due to rising prices, a new survey indicates. According to ASCII, the findings highlight how businesses are responding to a sustained increase in business PC costs that has pushed average prices to record highs this year.

A survey of 300 professionals involved in PC procurement found that 77.7% reported prices had risen compared with a year ago, with 71.0% saying current prices exceeded their budgets. Nearly two fifths of respondents, 39.7%, said they were delaying purchases or upgrades, while 21.7% had increased their procurement budgets. Other responses included reducing the number of PCs ordered (26.0%), lowering specifications (26.0%), and repairing existing devices to extend their use (25.0%).

The price surge is attributed to a sharp rise in DRAM memory costs, with contract prices for conventional DRAM reportedly up about 60% in the second quarter of 2026 compared with the previous quarter. TrendForce expects prices to remain elevated through the third quarter, continuing to pressure corporate IT budgets.

Separate research from Gartner Japan suggests that companies are prioritizing human-centric approaches over technology when transforming workplaces. The most valued initiative was strengthening digital and AI literacy training, cited by 34.2% of respondents, while technology adoption ranked ninth at 22.3%. Employee motivation (31.8%) and redesigning jobs to coexist with AI (31.3%) also featured prominently among top priorities.

Challenges in digital talent development included employees struggling to find time for learning (37.6%), training content not translating into practical work outcomes (25.7%), and ineffective training methods (23.1%). Gartner Japan analysts noted that companies should redesign and reinforce AI and digital literacy programs to help employees leverage new tools effectively.