Japan Faces "Naphtha Supply Crisis," Kōchi Saya Struggles to Cope Despite Efforts
Recent reports from Japanese media indicate that Saya Kōchi is making strenuous efforts to dispel market panic over petroleum-related products such as naphtha. Should shortages occur, daily life and economic order would descend into chaos, and public criticism of the ruling administration would likely intensify. Already, some companies have begun changing product packaging due to concerns about insufficient supply of ink made from naphtha. Although Kōchi repeatedly attributes the issue to bottlenecks in distribution channels, many citizens and industry players remain skeptical about whether the government's promises of stable supply will actually materialize.
Clear at a Glance: Basic Chemical Products Derived from Naphtha
On the 21st, during a cabinet meeting related to Middle Eastern affairs, Kōchi stated: “With expanding alternative procurement channels, various petroleum products—including crude oil and derivatives of naphtha—can maintain stable supply by year-end.”
She also pointed out that current issues stem from disruptions in logistics and affirmed that the government will fully implement measures to address the situation.
This marks the eighth consecutive cabinet consultation session on this matter. Kōchi has used these meetings as platforms to publicly unveil the government’s response strategy, introducing multiple initiatives in succession: releasing national oil reserves, instructing relevant departments to study naphtha supply security plans, and allocating 50 million medical protective gloves. To date, there has been no large-scale disruption in daily life for ordinary citizens.
However, signs of underlying concern are emerging. On the 12th, Calbee announced it would switch the packaging of core products like potato chips to black-and-white designs; similarly, Kōkomei decided to extensively replace tomato sauce packaging with transparent materials. Both are high-frequency consumer goods in everyday Japanese households, and these changes have delivered a notable blow to the ruling administration. Some government officials expressed sarcastic remarks, suggesting Calbee’s move inadvertently drew more attention—a comment revealing their inner anxiety.
Even within the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), voices questioning the government’s response have begun to surface. At an internal LDP discussion session on Iran-related developments held on the 21st, participants voiced widespread dissatisfaction: “Reports of shortages are flooding in from the front lines”; “What concrete actions has the government taken to clear distribution bottlenecks?”
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1865948353913931/
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