Total demand for black carbon in Japan is expected to rise 3.4% this year

The Japan Carbon Black Association recently released a forecast of Japan's domestic carbon black demand in 2023. This year, Japan's total carbon black demand (including imports and exports) will reach 727,000 tons, up 3.4% year on year.

According to the association, the forecast takes into account a gradual economic recovery, including an easing of the coronavirus pandemic, a pick-up in consumer buying intentions, an increase in companies' willingness to invest in equipment and an increase in exports. However, the association said there are still some unpredictable factors in the market, such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the development of the epidemic and the soaring price of raw materials.

The association's forecast for black carbon demand assumes that domestic car production is expected to reach 8.507 million units this year, up 6.7 percent from a year earlier. The Japan Automobile Tire Association expects domestic tire demand to rise 2.5% year on year. In addition, the Japan Rubber Industry Association forecast that the rubber industry as a whole is expected to consume 1.299 million tons of new glue, a year-on-year increase of 3.8 percent. Among them, automobile tires and rubber hose is expected to 1.041 million tons, an increase of 3.1% year-on-year; Ordinary rubber is expected to reach 258,000 tons, up 6.8 percent year on year.

The association is expected that the total demand for carbon black in Japan this year, rubber is expected to 641,175 tons, a year-on-year growth of 3.8%, including 478,84 tons of tires, a year-on-year growth of 2.9%; The use of ordinary rubber was 146,91 tons, up 6.8 percent year on year. In addition, non-rubber carbon black was 44,500 tons, up 0.6 percent year on year. Domestic demand totaled 670,250 tons, up 3.6 percent year on year. Exports are estimated at 57,000 tons, up 1.1 percent year on year. Among them, 16,000 tons were used for rubber, up 5.6 percent year on year. Imports, on the other hand, are expected to be 138,500 tons, up 3.4 percent year on year. Among them, 125,000 tons were used for rubber, up 3.7% year-on-year; Non-rubber use was 13,500 tons, up 1% year on year.