en.Wedoany.com Reported - Japan's ethylene plant operating rate fell to 67.3% in April, marking the lowest level on record. The Japan Petrochemical Industry Association released this data on May 21.

The association's chairman, Koshiro Kudo, who is also president of Asahi Kasei Corp., stated that the operating rate had been reduced to maintain supply.

During the same period, Japan's ethylene production increased by 3.6% month-on-month, reaching 283,500 tons. The rise in output was due to the resumption of operations at a plant that had previously been undergoing scheduled maintenance.

Ethylene is made from naphtha derived from crude oil and is used as a raw material for plastics and fibers. Against the backdrop of turmoil in the Middle East situation, the issue of naphtha supply has become increasingly prominent. Kudo stated that by procuring from within Japan and regions outside the Middle East, naphtha supply was secured more stably than in March.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi convened a meeting on the Middle East situation that day, requesting cabinet ministers to better assess the distribution of petroleum products nationwide. Specifically, the government will, through branches across the country, focus on conducting hearings with small businesses regarding construction materials such as diluents and lubricants, as well as packaging materials for bread, confectionery, and other products.

At the ministerial meeting, Takaichi stated that the government would accelerate the resolution of supply disruption issues through active communication with businesses. The government will coordinate with the National Federation of Construction Worker's Unions, which has approximately 590,000 construction workers (including self-employed individuals), to assess procurement conditions, and will conduct hearings with about 160,000 bus and truck operators and approximately 14,000 bakeries and confectionery shops.

Takaichi also stated that after receiving supply requests from 412 medical institutions totaling approximately 1.6 million pairs of medical gloves, the government will begin distributing medical gloves from its stockpile starting Saturday.

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