Domestic shipments of packaged personal computer software in fiscal 2004 reached 786.2 billion yen, up 4.3 percent from the previous year, according to the results of a survey released Wednesday by the Japan Personal Computer Software Association.

The survey attributed the increase to an uptrend in corporate investment in information technology in line with the improving economy.

Many companies updated their computers while a tax system aimed at promoting IT investment at small and midsize firms boosted corporate purchases of hardware and software, the survey showed.