Market Background

Auto Production Declines 5% in 2015, First Decline in 2 Years

According to automobile production numbers for 2015 compiled by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA), total production for four-wheel vehicles was 9.28 million units, a 5-percent year-on-year decline that marked the first drop in two years. 5.05 million vehicles were produced to serve domestic demand, down 9 percent and marking the first fall in four years.

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Construction Machinery Shipments Down 5% in 2015

The value of construction machinery shipments during calendar 2015 totaled 2.3129 trillion yen ($19.27 billion), down 5 percent from the previous year as the annual figure turned negative after an increase in 2014, according to a report compiled by the Japan Construction Equipment Manufacturers Association (CEMA; 69 member companies).

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JRMA’s IRSG Liaison Committee Takes On Range of Rubber Industry Issues

In 2015, the JRMA established a committee to study the impact that a current IRSG project aimed at sustainable development in the rubber industry is likely to have on its members. Now, the JRMA believes that in addition to liaising with the IRSG, the committee can deal in a wide range of areas covering raw materials as a whole.

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JHCA: Hose Assembly Sales Down 5% in 2015

The total value of hose assembly sales during 2015 was 62.562 billion yen, 5 percent less than the previous year, representing a turn to negative territory after an annual increase in 2014, according to the Japan Hose Coupling Association (JHCA). For December alone, overall sales were down more than 10 percent from December of the previous year.

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Resin Belt Production Sluggish

Resin belt production in 2015 was approximately 1.04 million square meters, on a par with the previous period. Demand was stable in the two main segments of food and distribution systems. By product segment, PVC showed a slight increase and polyurethane a slight decrease. All other products showed a double-digit increase.

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Rubber Belt Production Falls Below 30,000 Tons—First Time in 5 Years

Japanese rubber belt production in 2015 was around 29,000 tons, marking a 6-percent year-on-year drop to below the 30,000-ton level for the first time in five years, according to statistics compiled by the Japan Belting Manufacturers' Association. Domestic demand held to only a small three-percent decline, but export demand decreased steeply by 15 percent.

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