Driven on by the popularity of low-cost netbook computers, shipments of laptops have surpassed 70 percent of the Japanese PC market for the first time.

In November 457,000 laptops were shipped in Japan against 185,000 desktop computers, according to data released Wednesday by the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA). That split the market 71.1 percent in favor of laptops and 28.9 percent to desktops.

Total shipments for the month were down about 7 percent on November 2007 due to the poor economy but laptop shipments were up 3 percent on the year while desktop shipments dropped 25 percent, said JEITA.

The total value of PC shipments was down 17 percent at ¥72 billion (US$795 million). The larger percentage drop in value than unit shipments indicates the average price of PCs is dropping. In the laptop space the value of shipments fell 12 percent despite the greater unit volume.

The JEITA data is based on shipment figures received from 13 major PC vendors including Apple, Sony, Sharp, NEC, Lenovo, Fujitsu and Toshiba.

The IDG News Service is a Network World affiliate.