Japanese major construction contractors reported the financial results of fiscal 2013 that ended in March 2014. 21 of the top 25 increased the sales and 23 recorded increase in operating income, while all 25 reported profits. The values of orders received in the period saw significant increase mainly because of growing public works including reconstruction in the disaster-hit region and private investment surge before the consumption tax hike. Meanwhile, profitability rates of completed construction remained low due to material and labor cost hike. Most of the companies forecast less value of orders in the current financial period ending in March 2015 because of insufficient capability such as shortage of in-house engineers. (2014/05/16)a