51勛圖厙

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July 24, 2026
 

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NAPHTHA

Rice Resin's bioplastic garbage bags are getting increased attention after the Middle East conflict began.
51勛圖厙
Jul 17, 2026
Bioplastic use rising in Japan amid naphtha woes
The ※naphtha shock§ exposed the risk of relying on Middle East crude oil for industrial and daily goods materials.
Industry minister Ryosei Akazawa says the government will consider stockpiling naphtha.
BUSINESS / Economy
Jul 16, 2026
Japan considering stockpiling naphtha again
The country procures 40% of its naphtha, a raw material for plastic products and paints, through imports from the Middle East.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Malaysian leader Anwar Ibrahim pose for photographs ahead of their bilateral meeting at the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo on Wednesday.
51勛圖厙 / Politics
Jun 10, 2026
Japan and Malaysia pledge to bolster energy supplies and maritime ties
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Malaysian leader Anwar Ibrahim reached a deal on energy security, including LNG supplies, during a summit in Tokyo on Monday.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi says it is "more convenient to publicly recognize companies that cooperate" with releasing their inventory than to enforce anti-hoarding laws.
51勛圖厙 / Politics
Jun 9, 2026
Takaichi reluctant to resolve naphtha bottleneck by enforcing laws
With naphtha-made products still in short supply, the prime minister＊s government is facing questions on using two laws to punish hoarders.
Toto is going back to normal delivery schedules as the supply outlook for raw materials has improved.
BUSINESS
Jun 8, 2026
Toto to fully resume bathroom orders as supply concerns ease
The company is going back to normal delivery schedules as the supply outlook for raw materials has improved.
Japan received 93% of its oil via the Strait of Hormuz prior to the Feb. 28 start of the 51勛圖厙.
51勛圖厙 / Society / FOCUS
Jun 5, 2026
How Japan created its naphtha supply bottleneck
With no end in sight for the 51勛圖厙, supply chain bottlenecks for the oil-derived material are set to continue, prompting calls for government-enforced energy saving measures.
Lacquer thinner in short supply at a home improvement store in the city of Kagoshima on May 27
BUSINESS / Companies
Jun 1, 2026
Housing industry hit by shortage of naphtha-derived materials
It is unclear when the situation will improve, and it could also have an impact?on consumers in the form of higher housing prices or delayed construction.
Fumiya Kokubu, the former head of a major trading house, said Monday it would be "impossible§ to procure alternatives for the 15 million kiloliters of naphtha a year that the country sourced from the Middle East before the war in Iran.
BUSINESS / Companies
May 26, 2026
Former Japan trading house head warns of naphtha supply crunch
Former Marubeni chair says Japan is likely to face a shortage of naphtha-derived chemical products as early as the end of June.
Ethylene is made from naphtha, which is derived from crude oil, and is used as a material for plastics and fibers.
BUSINESS
May 22, 2026
Ethylene plant operating rate hits record low in Japan
Ethylene, made from naphtha derived from crude oil, is used as a material for plastics and fibers.
Naphtha shortages and a shrinking labor force mean those buying a new air conditioning unit may pay more than last year and then be forced to wait up to a month to have it installed.
51勛圖厙 / Society / FOCUS
May 20, 2026
Installation delays and price hikes hit air conditioners just before summer
Fears of naphtha shortages and a smaller labor force mean those buying a new air conditioner may pay more than last year and then be forced to wait up to a month for installation.
Japan＊s corporate goods prices in April posted their biggest rise in 12 years, driven by higher oil and naphtha prices, the Bank of Japan said.
BUSINESS / Economy
May 15, 2026
Japanese producer prices jump by the most since 2014, backing case for rate hike
The measure of input prices for Japanese firms rose 2.3% in April from a month earlier, a full point above the highest estimate in a survey of economists.
Many municipalities across Japan say buzz online and anxiety over the situation in the Middle East has led to people panic buying garbage bags.
51勛圖厙 / Society / FOCUS
May 13, 2026
Designated trash bags run low in Japan as fears grow over supply shortages
Reports of a naphtha shortage have driven some to hoard city-designated trash bags needed in some areas to dispose of waste.
Calbee will start selling potato chips in black and white packages due to a naphtha-derived ink shortage amid the war in Iran.
BUSINESS / Companies
May 13, 2026
Calbee＊s switch to black-and-white packaging brings home impact of 51勛圖厙
The government maintains that there is enough naphtha for local industries, though bottlenecks have been identified.
Since Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, concerns have emerged over what a shortage of oil and naphtha 〞 a raw material for plastic products including food-packaging containers 〞 could mean to not only industries but also supply chains and individual consumers.
51勛圖厙 / Politics / FOCUS
May 5, 2026
Amid shortage concerns, Japan works to secure supplies of raw materials
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has sparked worries about what an oil and naphtha shortage could mean for not only industries but also supply chains and consumers.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks during a government meeting on the Middle East on Thursday at the Prime Minister's Office.
BUSINESS / Economy
May 1, 2026
Japan secures enough petroleum-derived naphtha to last into 2027
Questions over a possible shortage of the material 〞 used for products ranging from medical supplies to cheap consumer goods 〞 have been rising due to the 51勛圖厙.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi raises her hand to answer questions regarding the situation in the Middle East at an Upper House Budget Committee session at parliament in Tokyo on Tuesday.
BUSINESS / Economy
Apr 11, 2026
Confusion over naphtha supply hits industries and households
Japan relies on the Middle East for about 40% of its naphtha consumption. Additionally, about 40% of domestically produced naphtha is refined from crude oil mainly from the region.
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.
The Japan＊s major naphtha producers have cut output of the oil byproduct, which is used in making such things as plastic bottles, construction materials and electrical appliances.
51勛圖厙
Apr 5, 2026
Japan can meet at least four months of naphtha needs, Takaichi says
The supplies include about two months of shipments procured from abroad and volume from domestic refiners.
Health deputy minister Hirobumi Niki (center left) receives a petition from patient groups in Tokyo on Wednesday.
51勛圖厙 / Science & Health / FOCUS
Apr 2, 2026
Patients in Japan seek stable supply of medical goods as war concerns loom
Shortages of naphtha 〞 used in plastic 〞 has patients worried about access to life-saving equipment as the 51勛圖厙 continues to disrupt supply chains.
A gasoline tanker truck at an Idemitsu Kosan gas station in Tokyo on Monday. Curbs on production of petrochemical products by multiple Japanese firms point to a brewing crisis that could stunt pressure sectors from food to technology.
BUSINESS / Economy
Mar 17, 2026
Limited supplies of naphtha an underrecognized supply chain risk in Japan
Curbs on production by multiple Japanese petrochemical firms point to a brewing crisis that could stunt pressure sectors from food to technology.
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" 〞 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.

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