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July 24, 2026
 

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CHEMICALS

Rare earths have emerged as a flash point in trade relations in recent years.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 11, 2026
Shin-Etsu plans new rare-earth refinery to secure supply
The plant will be the company¡¯s third in Fukui Prefecture and will help ¡°to ensure a stable supply of rare-earth-related products and magnets,¡± a spokesperson for the firm said.
The factory of Nippon Dynawave Packaging, a subsidiary of Nippon Paper Industries, where a chemical tank exploded, in Longview, Washington, on May 26
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Jun 1, 2026
Death toll from accident at Nippon Paper U.S. unit reaches 11
Eight other people suffered injuries in the accident, which occurred at the Longview-based Nippon Dynawave Packaging on Tuesday.
A chemical tank at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging pulp and paper mill in Longview, Washington, ruptured on Tuesday.
WORLD
May 28, 2026
Death toll from spill at Nippon Paper Group plant in U.S. expected to hit 11
A huge tank holding a highly caustic substance imploded on Tuesday during an early morning shift change at a paper plant in Longview, Washington state.
Japan is promoting fertilizer production from sewage sludge to reduce reliance on imports.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
May 10, 2026
Local governments recover phosphorus from sewage sludge
Phosphorus is almost entirely imported. Supply disruptions triggered by Russia¡¯s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 prompted the central government to promote fertilizer production.
Mitsubishi Chemical's Ibaraki plant in Kamisu, Ibaraki Prefecture, which produces ethylene and other petrochemical products
BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 8, 2026
Japan walks tightrope to keep ethylene plants running amid Middle East crisis
Manufacturers are reducing output to keep their plants running because it takes over a month to restart after a suspension.
Mitsubishi Chemical makes ethylene at plants in Chiba and Osaka prefectures.
BUSINESS / Companies
Mar 10, 2026
Mitsubishi Chemical cuts ethylene output due to possible supply issues
Output of ethylene, used for plastics and other industrial products, is being reduced due to possible shortages of raw materials from the Middle East.
Resonac Holdings Chief Executive Officer Hidehito Takahashi
BUSINESS / Companies
Dec 17, 2025
Chip-sector linchpin Resonac seeks to tap China¡¯s AI ambitions
Tokyo-based Resonac, which supplies crucial chemicals used to make cutting-edge chips, has bolstered production capacity in China.
Resonac President and CEO Hidehito Takahashi (front row, third from left) in Tokyo on Sept. 3 along with officials from companies participating in a joint framework to develop chipmaking equipment
BUSINESS / Companies
Oct 8, 2025
Japanese chemical firms seeking partnerships over next-gen chips
Companies are taking measures with others, such as setting up a joint framework, to speed up the development of related materials
A staff member works in the lab of Hobum Oleochemicals, a manufacturer that develops sustainable chemical raw materials derived from renewable plant oils, in Hamburg, Germany, on Aug. 25.
BUSINESS / Markets
Sep 4, 2025
Trump¡¯s tariffs threaten to choke European chemicals recovery
The sector has been grappling in recent years with high production costs after gas and power prices soared following Russia¡¯s invasion of Ukraine.
Taiyo Holdings Chief Executive Officer Eiji Sato
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 23, 2025
Japan activist clout shown in shareholder rejection of Taiyo CEO
Voting out a company¡¯s CEO candidate, something that doesn¡¯t happen often in Japan, is another sign of how activist investors are pushing to change company policies.
Proposals to delist Taiyo Holdings have emerged as Japanese companies face pressure from the Tokyo Stock Exchange to boost their value to stay listed.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 16, 2025
Taiyo to decide on delisting as early as August, president says
The chemical manufacturer is set to hold its annual shareholders¡¯ meeting on Saturday in which its president, Eiji Sato, is likely to face a vote on his ouster.
An Environment Ministry survey found that PFAS in groundwater and river water exceeded the provisional standard at 242 locations nationwide.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Apr 25, 2025
Potentially carcinogenic PFAS chemicals over standard at 242 sites in Japan
Japan?banned the production and import of PFOS and PFOA, both of which are main components of PFAS, by 2021.
The levels of a type of "forever chemical" found in seven current and former employees at Daikin Industries' Yodogawa plant in Osaka Prefecture were about 38 times those for nearby residents, according to a survey conducted by a team including Kyoto University.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Apr 24, 2025
High levels of PFAS found in blood of Osaka factory workers
The levels for seven current and former employees were about 38 times those for residents, with three showing signs of interstitial lung disease.
Microchips are a major source of "forever chemicals¡± that are linked to cancer and other health problems.
BUSINESS / Tech
Mar 14, 2025
As chips race spews ¡®forever chemicals,¡¯ startups emerge to destroy them
A wave of companies are offering potential solutions that won¡¯t cut the chemicals out of the supply chain but destroy them.
Seth Fischer, chief investment officer of Oasis Management, speaks during an interview in Tokyo on Tuesday.
BUSINESS
Mar 6, 2025
Oasis says investors back its proposed board changes at Kao
Oasis, which holds a 5.2% stake in Kao, has presented five candidates to become outside directors of the company.
Passengers at a train station in Tokyo. Railway operators plan to expand the scope of chemicals and materials passengers will be banned from bringing onto trains starting in April.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Feb 26, 2025
Railway companies to tighten restrictions on hazardous materials
The move comes as part of a push to bolster security ahead of the 2025 Osaka Expo.
Resonac Holdings CEO Hidehito Takahashi
BUSINESS / Companies
Feb 19, 2025
Resonac explores deal structures for possible JSR takeover
A deal would be a key step in the chemicals maker¡¯s ambition to corner the Japanese artificial intelligence semiconductor materials market.
Mayor Masanori Yamamoto of Kibichuo, Okayama Prefecture, announces the results of PFAS blood concentration tests on Tuesday.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø
Jan 28, 2025
PFAS blood test results in Okayama Prefecture town exceed U.S. standards
The Kibichuo town government announced the results of its first blood tests after PFAS were detected at a water purification plant in the town.
A satellite image shows the Sverdlov plant in Dzerzhinsk, Russia, on Sept. 13, 2022.
WORLD / Politics
Dec 31, 2024
The Russian billionaires whose chemical factories fuel Moscow¡¯s war machine
The?analysis demonstrates how heavily plants forming part of Russia¡¯s war machine rely on the chemical factories.
The Self-Defense Forces facilities are believed to have become sources of PFAS contamination because they used firefighting foam containing the toxic chemicals in the past.
51³Ô¹ÏÍø / Science & Health
Dec 24, 2024
High levels of PFAS found in water from 44 private suppliers across Japan
Among them are five that supply water to Self-Defense Forces facilities.
Japan scientists identify clusters of protein believed to trigger Alzheimer¡¯s disease
A team of researchers said they found a ¡°seed¡± that accelerates the amyloid beta accumulation process in the brain, naming it ¡°Peak 1 amyloid beta,¡± as seen in a mouse's brain.
Indian brothers make manga debut in Japan
Two Indian brothers made their manga debut in Japan with "Kung Fu Kung Fool" ¡ª an action-comedy series that follows the adventures of a notorious thief and a young boy.
Japan weighs regulating Pokemon cards amid trading mania
A Pokemon event is held in Jakarta on July 11
Low-income families in Japan cut food and air conditioning during summer break
Yumiko Watanabe, the chairperson of nonprofit Kidsdoor, explains the results of a survey in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward on July 1.
Iran strikes on CIA facilities prompt questions about possible Russian role
Iranian drones are displayed in an undisclosed location in Iran, in this handout image obtained on Jan. 13, 2025.U.S. officials have acknowledged that Russia has ?provided targeting ?and other support for Iran in its drone strikes on U.S. targets in the Persian Gulf region.
The sci-fi sensibilities of electronic trio Black Boboi
Black Boboi was formed in 2018 when solo artists Julia Shortreed, Utena Kobayashi and Ermhoi came together under Kobayashi¡¯s newly founded label, Bindividual.
A perfect storm: Kaze Fujii fans flock to Fuji Rock
Okayama-born singer-songwriter Kaze Fujii has carved out a distinctive place in Japanese pop since his major-label debut in 2019.
Can Japanese comedy get laughs in English? Yoshimoto Kogyo lets the jokes rip
Wes-P has millions of followers and his viral clips made him recognizable out of Japan.
The 180-day locals: Life on Japan¡¯s digital nomad visa
Christopher Flinn works remotely from Tokyo earlier this month. Japan issued 646 digital nomad visas in 2025, but tourism officials are hoping to increase that figure in the coming years, with Japan's relatively cheap cost of living and the weak yen seen as potential draws for young professionals.
Japan reveals hint of new defense spending target in fiscal blueprint
The Self-Defense Forces' Type 16 mobile combat vehicle fires during a joint live-fire drill with U.S. Marines as part of the annual Resolute Dragon exercises in Yufu, Oita Prefecture, on June 28.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo¡¯s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo¡¯s ¡®stadium of desire¡¯

Longform

For many people, utility poles and power lines have become such a familiar part of Japan¡¯s landscape that they often go unnoticed.
Why Japan¡¯s utility poles won¡¯t be disappearing anytime soon
By Alex K.T. Martin

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