Japan

Population: 126,529,000 (2018)
GDP: 4.971 Trillion USD (2018)
Total Area: 364,560 sq km
Agriculture Land: 68.46% (2016)
Forest: 32.9% (2016)


Japan is the third largest economy in the world and one of the most industrialized ones. Japan’s industrial structure has undergone a major transformation over the half century since the end of World War II. Japanese manufacturing industry is diversified with a variety of advanced industries that are highly successful.Japan is the third largest producer of vehicles in the world (OICA,2018). The vehicle market has fostered the development of the tyre industry especially from the second half of 1990s to 2008 supported by generally firm demand in the domestic market and active export orders. It declined severely in 2009 due to the world economic crisis. In 2017, Japan produced 144.92 million tyres (JATMA,2018).

Natural Rubber

Japan is the fourth largest consumer of natural rubber, however in the pipeline to consider producing Russian Dandelions suitably grown in any environment.Natural rubber is imported mainly from Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia. Various Japanese entities have rubber farming and processing facility in other countries like Indonesia, Liberia, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. Japan is one of the driving forces for growth of the global rubber industry. Over 65% of the rubber is consumed by the tyre sector every year in Japan.Japanese tyre makers have earned their reputation in the global market by offering consistent breakthroughs in tyre technology and value chain management systems. Tyre industry consume a major share of natural rubber imported to this country.Natural rubber share in the total rubber consumed in various end-user applications is around 44%. Of the total natural rubber usage in Japan, more than 90% is used by the tyre industry. 


Synthetic Rubber

Japan is the one of the key producers of synthetic rubber having twelve companies operating synthetic rubber manufacturing plants. Japan produced about 1.62 million tonnes and consumed 0.88 million tonnes of synthetic rubber in 2017.Japan’s R&D effort in rubber products is not limited to tyres and automotive parts. Synthetic Rubber is mainly exported to China, Thailand, USA, South Korea, Malaysia, India, Indonesia, Vietnam and Germany.

Government & Other Agencies

Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
1-3-1 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku,
Tokyo 100-8901, Japan
Tel: +81-(0)3-3501-1511
Website: www.meti.go.jp
The Japan Automobile Tyre Manufacturers Association, Inc
8 Floor, No.33 Mori Bldg., 3-8-21 Toranomon, Minato-ku
Tokyo, 105-0001 Japan
Tel: +81-3-3435-9091
Website: www.jatma.or.jp
The Japan Rubber Manufacturers Association
Tobu building 2nd Fl., 1-5-26 Motoakasaka Minato-ku
Tokyo 107-0051
Tel: + 81-3-3408-7101
Website: www.rubber.or.jp
Press Releases
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Japan's factory activity shrinks at fastest pace since 2009
Japan’s factory activity contracted at the fastest pace in about a decade in March, as the world’s third-largest economy struggled with a severe downturn in overseas and domestic demand due to the coronavirus crisis.The manufacturing slowdown offers the latest evidence of the pain business and the economy are feeling from the pandemic and highlights the challenges policymakers face.The final au Jibun Bank Japan Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) fell to...
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Yokohama Rubber Signs MOU with Rubber Authority of Thailand for Support of Sustainable Natural Rubber Procurement
Tokyo—The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., announced today that on January 21 it signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to cooperate with the Rubber Authority of Thailand (RAOT)*1 to provide economic support for Thai natural rubber farmers and to improve traceability to ensure transparency and soundness of the supply chain. This agreement with RAOT is the latest concrete action based on the company’s "Procurement Policy for Sustainable Natural Rubber.” The agreement...
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Japan's economy shrinks faster than first estimated on growing virus, recession risks
Japan's economy shrank more than initially estimated in the fourth quarter - by the most since the 2014 sales tax hike - exacerbating economic fears at a time when the impact of the coronavirus outbreak is increasing recession risks. A spike in the yen and drop in Tokyo stocks - against a backdrop of oil price cuts that are playing havoc with financial markets - add to woes for an...