End of an Era: Japanese Company Halts Production of Children's Diapers

Mar 26, 2024 | News On Japan

TOKYO - Oji Holdings, a major paper manufacturer, has announced that it will discontinue its domestic business of children's disposable diapers, a subsidiary operation, due to declining demand as a result of a decreasing birthrate.

The company plans to focus on strengthening its domestic adult diaper business. According to the announcement, Oji Holdings will cease production and shipment of children's disposable diapers for the domestic market by September of this year, handled by its subsidiary Oji Nepia. The decision comes as demand has fallen due to the decreasing birthrate. The company reported that at its peak in 2001, it produced approximately 700 million diapers annually, but that number has since dropped to about 400 million. Looking ahead, the company plans to boost production of adult diapers, anticipating growth in domestic demand. Meanwhile, the company sees potential for growth in the children's diaper market overseas and will continue production at its factories in Indonesia and Malaysia, aiming to expand its business in those regions.

Source: NHK

Four Typhoons Active as Okinawa Braces for Violent Storm

Four typhoons are simultaneously active around Japan in an unusual weather pattern, with a very strong Typhoon No. 18 forecast to approach the Daito Islands on August 25 while warm, humid air associated with the storm fuels sudden thunderstorms from western Japan to the Kanto region.

Lawson to Cut Onigiri Prices by 10 Yen

Lawson plans to cut prices on its main line of onigiri rice balls by 10 yen from September 29 as falling rice prices begin to feed through to retail costs.

Taiji Boosts Security Against Anti-Whaling Activists

Police have established a temporary police post in the whaling town of Taiji, Wakayama Prefecture, ahead of the September 1 opening of the annual drive hunt for whales and dolphins.

Taiwanese Woman Accused of Pouring Oil on National Treasure

A 39-year-old woman from Taiwan has been arrested on suspicion of pouring an oil-like liquid on the national treasure Buddha Footprint Stone at Yakushiji Temple in Nara in April, police said.

Death Row Inmate Executed for Deadly Pachinko Parlor Fire

Japan executed 58-year-old death row inmate Sunao Takami on August 21 for setting fire to a pachinko parlor in Osaka in 2009, killing five people and injuring 10 others, in the first execution carried out under the Takaichi administration.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Business NEWS

Japan's Traditional Public Baths Feel Financial Heat

Japan's traditional neighborhood public baths are struggling with rising fuel, labor and operating costs, but unlike most businesses they cannot freely raise prices because admission fees remain regulated under a postwar price-control law introduced in 1946.

Nikkei Falls as Rising Yields Hit AI and Chip Shares

Tokyo stocks fell on August 24, with the Nikkei 225 closing at 65,528.09, down 488.27 points, or 0.74%, as global bond-yield pressure and caution ahead of Nvidia’s earnings triggered selling in artificial intelligence and semiconductor-related shares, even as the broader TOPIX edged higher.

Suzuki Unveils Kei EV Prototype With 310-Kilometer Range

Suzuki has unveiled a prototype of its first kei-class electric vehicle, the e SKY, which is scheduled to go on sale during the current fiscal year with a driving range of 310 kilometers, among the longest offered by a domestically produced kei EV.

Okinawa Taxi Drivers Seek 60% Higher Pay

Following the fare revision, a labor union representing taxi drivers in the prefecture and other groups held a news conference calling for the proportion of operating revenue paid to drivers to be raised from its current level to at least 60%.

China's Rare-Earth Magnet Exports to Japan Halve in July

China's exports of rare-earth magnets to Japan fell by more than half in July from a year earlier, while shipments of tungsten carbide remained at zero for a sixth consecutive month, according to trade data released by Chinese customs authorities.

Japan Consumer Prices Rise 1.8% in July as Food Costs Climb

Japan's nationwide core consumer price index rose 1.8% in July from a year earlier, with the pace of inflation accelerating for a second consecutive month as higher food prices and a rebound in energy costs outweighed a sharp decline in rice prices.

Mitsubishi Electric to Acquire U.S. Software Firm for Record 220 Billion Yen

Mitsubishi Electric said on August 20 that it will acquire U.S.-based PCI Energy Solutions, a developer of software used to manage electricity trading and other energy operations, in a deal worth about 220 billion yen, the largest acquisition in the Japanese company's history.

Nikkei Rebounds 890 Points as U.S. Bond Relief Lifts Risk Appetite

Tokyo stocks rebounded on August 20, with the Nikkei 225 closing at 66,216.79, up 890.37 points, or 1.36%, as gains in U.S. equities, a sharp rally in South Korean semiconductor shares and easing global bond-market stress encouraged investors to buy back Japanese shares after two days of heavy selling.

< 2 3 4 5 >