Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Thursday that Japan expects to maintain the supply of naphtha-derived chemical products through the end of the year [1].

This move aims to protect Japan's industrial sector from supply chain disruptions caused by instability in the Middle East. Because naphtha is a critical feedstock for the plastics and chemicals industries, any shortage could halt production across multiple manufacturing sectors.

Speaking at a meeting of ministers concerning the situation in the Middle East at the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo, Takaichi addressed the current reserves. She said the government has secured at least four months' worth of domestic demand [2].

To further insulate the economy, the administration plans to double the volume of imports from regions outside the Middle East [3]. This strategy is designed to extend the inventory period to more than six months [4].

"The supply of chemical products derived from naphtha is expected to continue beyond the end of the year," Takaichi said [1].

Earlier this month, Takaichi used social media to outline these strategic shifts in procurement. The shift toward non-Middle Eastern sources reflects a broader effort to diversify energy and raw material dependencies, a priority for the current administration as geopolitical tensions rise.

Japan remains heavily reliant on imported hydrocarbons, making its chemical industry particularly vulnerable to shipping disruptions or production halts in the Gulf region. By increasing the buffer of stockpiled materials, the government seeks to prevent price spikes and factory shutdowns that could impact the broader economy.

“"The supply of chemical products derived from naphtha is expected to continue beyond the end of the year,"”

Japan is aggressively diversifying its supply chain to reduce strategic vulnerability to Middle Eastern geopolitical shocks. By doubling non-regional imports and extending stockpiles to six months, Tokyo is shifting from a 'just-in-time' inventory model to a 'just-in-case' security model to ensure industrial continuity.