While facing reduced demand and a 2.5% dip in crude steel production, Japan's formidable materials industry, responsible for nearly 90 million metric tons of steel alone, is strategically pivoting toward high-value advanced materials and circular economy innovations to power its future.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, Japan's crude steel production reached 89.2 million metric tons, marking a 2.5% decrease from the previous year due to reduced demand from China.
- Nippon Steel Corporation produced 44.8 million tons of crude steel in fiscal year 2022, accounting for approximately 50% of Japan's total output.
- Japan's pig iron production in 2022 was 81.6 million metric tons, down 3.1% year-on-year.
- Japan's chemical industry production index stood at 102.5 in 2022 (2020=100).
- Sumitomo Chemical's sales revenue was ¥2.8 trillion in FY2022.
- Petrochemical production volume was 18.5 million tons in 2022.
- Japan's plastics production reached 13.8 million tons in 2022.
- Polyethylene production was 4.2 million tons in 2022.
- Polypropylene output totaled 2.9 million tons in 2022.
- Japan's glass production was 11.2 million tons in 2022.
- Float glass output totaled 5.8 million tons in 2022.
- Cement production reached 57.6 million tons in 2022.
- Japan's carbon fiber production was 58,000 tons in 2022.
- Toray Industries' carbon fiber sales ¥250 billion in FY2022.
- Nanomaterials market size ¥1.2 trillion in 2022.
Japan's materials industry contracted slightly in 2022 amid lower steel demand from China.
Advanced and Composite Materials
- Japan's carbon fiber production was 58,000 tons in 2022.
- Toray Industries' carbon fiber sales ¥250 billion in FY2022.
- Nanomaterials market size ¥1.2 trillion in 2022.
- Semiconductor materials production value ¥2.1 trillion in 2022.
- Mitsubishi Chemical's advanced materials revenue ¥900 billion FY2022.
- Composites for aerospace 12,000 tons in 2022.
- Rare earth materials processing 5,000 tons in 2022.
- Lithium-ion battery materials market ¥1.5 trillion in 2022.
- Teijin’s aramid fiber production 20,000 tons in 2022.
- Graphene and CNT production 500 tons in 2022.
- Advanced composites exports ¥800 billion in 2022.
- Sumitomo Chemical's electronic materials sales ¥700 billion FY2022.
- FR4 substrate materials production 450 million m² in 2022.
- Photoresist production value ¥450 billion in 2022.
- Advanced ceramics for semiconductors ¥300 billion in 2022.
- Carbon nanotube yarn production capacity 100 tons/y.
- Hydrogen storage materials R&D ¥50 billion in 2022.
- Biocomposites production 8,000 tons in 2022.
- Shin-Etsu Chemical's silicon wafer materials sales ¥1.1 trillion FY2022.
- OLED materials market ¥250 billion in 2022.
- Aerogel production 200 tons in 2022.
- Metal matrix composites 5,000 tons in 2022.
- Advanced materials R&D expenditure ¥2.5 trillion industry-wide in 2022.
- Quantum dot materials production value ¥100 billion in 2022.
- JSR Corporation's semiconductor materials sales ¥550 billion FY2022.
- Fiber-reinforced plastics for auto 250,000 tons in 2022.
Advanced and Composite Materials Interpretation
While Japan's industrial might might not always be headline-grabbing, its materials sector is quietly building the physical atoms and molecules of our future, from semiconductors and electric cars to aerospace composites and quantum dots, all on a multi-trillion-yen scale.
Ceramics and Glass
- Japan's glass production was 11.2 million tons in 2022.
- Float glass output totaled 5.8 million tons in 2022.
- Cement production reached 57.6 million tons in 2022.
- Tableware porcelain production 120,000 tons in 2022.
- Asahi Glass (AGC) sales ¥1.9 trillion FY2022.
- Flat glass exports 3.2 million tons in 2022.
- Cement exports 4.5 million tons in 2022.
- Advanced ceramics market ¥650 billion in 2022.
- Nippon Sheet Glass production capacity 6 million t/y.
- Sanitary ware ceramics production 1.8 million pieces in 2022.
- Glass bottle production 8.5 million tons in 2022.
- Cement clinker production 48.2 million tons in 2022.
- Fine ceramics for electronics ¥450 billion in 2022.
- Taiheiyo Cement's production 20 million tons in 2022.
- Glass fiber production 0.95 million tons in 2022.
- Porcelain tile production area 15 million m² in 2022.
- CO2 emissions from cement industry 42 million tons in 2022.
- Ceramics R&D investment ¥180 billion in 2022.
- Container glass recycling rate 90% in 2022.
- Sumitomo Osaka Cement capacity 10 million t/y.
- Architectural glass production 4.1 million tons in 2022.
- Refractories production 1.5 million tons in 2022.
- Alumina refined production 0.6 million tons in 2022.
- Ceramics industry employment 250,000 in 2022.
- Low-carbon cement ratio 35% in 2022.
- NGK Insulators' ceramics sales ¥600 billion FY2022.
- Glass substrate for displays 1.2 billion m² in 2022.
- Tile exports value ¥150 billion in 2022.
Ceramics and Glass Interpretation
While Japan's materials industry builds mountains of cement and glass, it is also diligently planting the flag of sustainability, with impressive recycling rates and green tech striving to offset its colossal carbon footprint.
Chemicals
- Japan's chemical industry production index stood at 102.5 in 2022 (2020=100).
- Sumitomo Chemical's sales revenue was ¥2.8 trillion in FY2022.
- Petrochemical production volume was 18.5 million tons in 2022.
- Basic chemical exports reached ¥5.2 trillion in 2022.
- Mitsubishi Chemical Group's EBITDA was ¥450 billion in FY2022.
- Ethylene production capacity in Japan is 10.2 million tons per year as of 2023.
- Synthetic resin production totaled 14.3 million tons in 2022.
- Fertilizer production was 3.1 million tons in 2022.
- Paint and ink production value was ¥1.2 trillion in 2022.
- Japan's chemical industry R&D expenditure was ¥1.1 trillion in 2022.
- Specialty chemicals market size was ¥4.5 trillion in 2022.
- Polypropylene production was 2.8 million tons in 2022.
- Ammonia production reached 2.4 million tons in 2022.
- Pharmaceutical chemicals output value ¥3.8 trillion in 2022.
- Ube Industries' chemical segment sales ¥850 billion in FY2022.
- Chlor-alkali production was 1.9 million tons in 2022.
- Chemical industry employment 850,000 persons in 2022.
- Energy use per unit output in chemicals decreased 15% from 2012 to 2022.
- Fine chemicals exports ¥1.8 trillion in 2022.
- Asahi Kasei's chemical sales ¥1.2 trillion in FY2022.
- Methanol production 1.1 million tons in 2022.
- Plasticizer production 0.85 million tons in 2022.
- Industrial gas production value ¥900 billion in 2022.
- Petrochemical recycling rate 28% in 2022.
- Tosoh Corporation's sales ¥850 billion in FY2022.
- Sulfuric acid production 5.2 million tons in 2022.
- Chemical park investments ¥200 billion in 2022.
- Kuraray's chemical products sales ¥650 billion in FY2022.
Chemicals Interpretation
While the impressive production volumes and towering revenues like Sumitomo's ¥2.8 trillion prove Japan's chemical industry remains a colossal economic engine, the modest 28% recycling rate and the critical 15% drop in energy use per unit output reveal an industry earnestly, yet awkwardly, trying to shrink its environmental shadow without falling over its own considerable output.
Polymers and Plastics
- Japan's plastics production reached 13.8 million tons in 2022.
- Polyethylene production was 4.2 million tons in 2022.
- Polypropylene output totaled 2.9 million tons in 2022.
- PVC production stood at 2.1 million tons in 2022.
- Synthetic rubber production was 1.2 million tons in 2022.
- Plastic exports value ¥2.5 trillion in 2022.
- Prime Polymer (Mitsui)'s PE capacity 1.5 million t/y.
- Plastic film production 3.8 million tons in 2022.
- PET resin production 1.1 million tons in 2022.
- Plastic bottle recycling rate 84.8% in 2022.
- Automotive plastics use 0.15 million tons per year.
- Polystyrene production 1.4 million tons in 2022.
- Engineering plastics market ¥1.2 trillion in 2022.
- Plastic pipe production value ¥450 billion in 2022.
- Zeon Corporation's synthetic rubber sales ¥300 billion FY2022.
- Bioplastics production 10,000 tons in 2022.
- Plastic sheet production 2.2 million tons in 2022.
- Rubber exports ¥1.1 trillion in 2022.
- Plastic industry R&D ¥250 billion in 2022.
- Denka's PVC capacity 1 million t/y.
- Plastic packaging production 6.5 million tons in 2022.
- Elastomer production 0.45 million tons in 2022.
- Plastic compound production 1.8 million tons in 2022.
- Tire rubber use 1.05 million tons in 2022.
- Advanced plastics for electronics ¥800 billion market 2022.
- Ube's polyethylene capacity 0.6 million t/y.
- Plastic waste generation 8.3 million tons in 2022.
Polymers and Plastics Interpretation
Japan's materials industry hums along like a high-precision polymer extrusion line, transforming millions of tons of versatile plastics—from pervasive packaging and critical pipes to advanced electronics—into a resilient and recycling-conscious economic engine worth trillions, all while diligently confronting the weighty challenge of its own waste.
Steel and Metals
- In 2022, Japan's crude steel production reached 89.2 million metric tons, marking a 2.5% decrease from the previous year due to reduced demand from China.
- Nippon Steel Corporation produced 44.8 million tons of crude steel in fiscal year 2022, accounting for approximately 50% of Japan's total output.
- Japan's pig iron production in 2022 was 81.6 million metric tons, down 3.1% year-on-year.
- The average utilization rate of blast furnaces in Japan stood at 82.4% in 2022.
- Japan's steel exports totaled 64.9 million tons in 2022, with Asia receiving 56% of the shipments.
- Domestic steel shipments in Japan reached 72.3 million tons in 2022, a 1.8% decline.
- JFE Steel's production capacity is 30 million tons per year as of 2023.
- Japan's stainless steel production was 3.2 million tons in 2022.
- Aluminum production in Japan was 1.05 million metric tons in 2022.
- Copper smelter production reached 1.45 million tons in 2022.
- Steel scrap consumption in Japan was 63.4 million tons in 2022.
- Average steel price (HR coil) in Japan was ¥105,000 per ton in 2022.
- Kawasaki Steel's (now JFE) automotive steel sheet production is 10 million tons annually.
- Japan's ferroalloy production totaled 1.2 million tons in 2022.
- Electric arc furnace steel production share is 25% of total in Japan as of 2022.
- Nisshin Steel's crude steel output was 5.2 million tons in 2022.
- Japan's steel industry employed 280,000 workers in 2022.
- Energy consumption per ton of steel crude decreased to 3.5 GJ/ton in 2022.
- CO2 emissions from steel industry were 181 million tons in 2022.
- High-strength steel production for automotive use reached 15 million tons in 2022.
- Electrical steel production in Japan was 1.8 million tons in 2022.
- Steel pipe production totaled 12.5 million tons in 2022.
- Wire rod production was 5.9 million tons in 2022.
- Heavy plate production reached 8.4 million tons in 2022.
- Japan's steel R&D investment was ¥150 billion in 2022.
- Recycling rate of steel scrap is 99.5% in Japan as of 2022.
- Godo Steel's production capacity is 4 million tons per year.
- Steel bar production was 7.2 million tons in 2022.
- Section steel production totaled 4.1 million tons in 2022.
- Japan's steel industry carbon intensity is 1.8 t-CO2/t-steel in 2022.
Steel and Metals Interpretation
Japan's steel industry, while still a titan producing nearly 90 million tons and recycling almost every scrap, finds itself in a cautious pivot, as a dip in Chinese demand nudges production lower and highlights its critical challenge: powering modern life from cars to construction while forging a path to slash its massive carbon footprint.
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