Japan Reports 9,500 Complaints Over Petroleum Product Shortages

Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has received approximately 9,500 complaints regarding shortages of petroleum-based products ^[1].

These shortages threaten critical infrastructure and transport sectors, including automotive repair and construction, as instability in the Middle East disrupts the global supply of essential chemical derivatives.

The affected materials include engine oil, thinner, and various construction supplies derived from naphtha ^[1], ^[2]. The government said that the deterioration of the situation in the Middle East has directly impacted the distribution of these goods ^[4].

Of the total complaints, officials have identified the specific circumstances and are implementing countermeasures for approximately 850 cases ^[1]. To address these gaps, the ministry's regional transport bureaus began conducting hearings in coordination with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry on May 21 ^[3].

Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Yasuyuki Kaneko said the government will respond meticulously to the identified situations to resolve supply imbalances and distribution bottlenecks.

"We will make every effort to eliminate supply concerns in the construction and housing materials, lubricants, and the bus, taxi, and truck businesses that support regional life and the economy," Kaneko said ^[1].

The coordination effort involves local economic bureaus to ensure that the supply of lubricants and naphtha-based materials reaches the automotive and transport industries without further delay.