Japan has secured enough petroleum-derived naphtha to last into 2027, with imports expected to triple in May as the country tries to address concerns about sufficient supplies of oil and oil-derived products.
Questions over possible shortages of naphtha ¡ª used for products ranging from medical supplies to cheap consumer goods to plastic foam, paint thinner and construction materials ¡ª have been rising due to the Iran war, which disrupted oil supplies from the Middle East.
¡°We had previously indicated that the supply of naphtha-derived chemical products would continue for more than six months,¡± Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in a government meeting about the situation in the Middle East on Thursday evening.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.