In January 2016, the shipment value of rubber products in Japan fell by 6 percent to 160 billion yen ($1.41 billion), the seventh consecutive month of year-on-year decreases, according to Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). Automobile tire production was down 67 percent to 10.72 million tires, the 14th consecutive month of year-on-year decreases. Meanwhile, the value of...
Market Background
Japan’s Natural-Rubber Import Volume Rises for First Time in Five Months
Japan’s import volume of natural rubber for January 2016 increased by 1 percent year-on-year to more than 58,000 tons, rising for the first time in five months, according to the Rubber Trade Association of Japan. However, the import value plunged by 18 percent to 9.26 billion yen ($81.7 million), declining for the fifth month in a row. The average import...
Rubber Industry Expands Hiring of Female Tech Grads – Japan Rubber Weekly Survey
Employers in the rubber industry are increasingly expanding business operations and beefing up production by increasing their workforces, according to a spring 2016 hiring status survey of 31 major rubber industry companies. The survey by Japan Rubber Weekly also indicated that the number of firms increasing the number of new hires this year compared to the previous year has grown...

Nitta Celebrates 131 Years of Business
Nitta Corp. (TYO:5186) held ceremonies on March 18 at its head office in Osaka and plant in Nara to celebrate 131 years in business, followed by awards for its long-service employees. In his ceremony speech, President and Representative Director Motonobu Nitta said that the company has survived through the generations by responding to whatever challenges have come its way and...
Shipping Volume for Synthetic Rubber Falls to 1.63 Million Tons in 2015
Shipping volume for Japan’s synthetic rubber in 2015 (January–December) dropped by about 5 percent year-on-year to slightly over 1.632 million tons, according to the Japan Rubber Manufacturers Association (JRMA). Domestic shipping volume excluding chloroprene rubber (CR) and butyl rubber (IIR), whose figures weren’t released, fell about 5 percent from the previous year to around 890,000 tons. Export volume also declined...
Two Rubber Companies Win ‘Nadeshiko Meigara’ Award
Bridgestone Corp. (TYO:5108) and synthetic rubber manufacturer JSR Corp. (TYO:4185) have been selected as winners of the 2015 Nadeshiko Meigara award, which recognizes companies that excel in providing women with career opportunities. The prize program is organized by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the Tokyo Stock Exchange. In the Nadeshiko Meigara selection process, the review panel...