The market for LEDs for display and communications applications is projected to grow 7% annually on average to 614.7 billion yen ($5.5 bil) in 2008, up 30% over the 2004 level. As the brightness of white LEDs is expected to increase from 701m/W in 2005 to 1,001m/W in 2008, they will be used in wider applications ranging from automobile headlights to general lighting products. The Japanese makers will continue to account for more than 90% of the global white LED market.

The retarder film market will reach 157.2 billion yen (1.4 bil) in 2008, expanding 12% annually on average. Japanese makers monopolize the retarder film market, and Fuji Photo Film, Zeon, and Konica Minolta Opto will continue to supply retarder films for various large LCD applications.

The report projects that the flexible electronic paper (or flexible sheet display) market will commercially emerge in 2006, reaching 5.7 billion yen ($51 mil), and grow to 19.8 billion yen ($177 mil) in 2008. Sony has developed an e-paper product, and Dai Nippon Paper and Fuji Xerox are planning to market the product from 2006.