Thinner Prices More Than Double as Naphtha Shock Eases but Costs Bite

Jul 08, 2026 | News On Japan

NAGOYA - Marutake Tosou, a painting company founded about 50 years ago in Nagoya’s Nishi Ward, handles exterior walls and other building projects. Its workshop is lined with cans of thinner, an essential material used for sanding products and diluting paint, but at the end of April the company was struggling to secure supplies.

Asked in April how much thinner the company used in a day, Executive Director Atsushi Matsukawa said, "We easily use two or three cans a day. Since the end of March, the amount coming in has been shrinking. Some products are not coming in at all."

The problem continued into late May. Asked how much stock remained, Matsukawa said, "We still have a little, but it will not last through June. I ask the wholesaler every day to do something quickly."

The supply situation has since changed. Asked about current conditions, Matsukawa said, "If we place orders while keeping the volume within certain limits, products come in normally." He said the company has gradually been able to secure the necessary quantities since June.

The main remaining shortage is PP bands, the plastic straps used to fasten goods. "The biggest shortage now is PP bands. They are not coming in. We only have a few left in stock," Matsukawa said. "We will use what we have while it lasts, and when it runs out, we will make do with thinner bands."

Marutake Tosou can now secure most of the materials used in painting work, including thinner, paint and vinyl products, but the major problem is price. A 16-liter can of thinner cost 4,600 yen until March, but now costs 9,500 yen, more than double. Some paints have risen by more than 20,000 yen over the past few months.

Painting fees, however, are set by prime contractors such as housebuilders, making it difficult for subcontractors to raise prices easily. The burden on small operators is continuing to grow.

Asked about the impact on the painting industry, Matsukawa said, "It is truly a major blow. No one thought it would become this bad."

The U.S. attack on Iran has added to those concerns, raising fears that the turmoil seen earlier this year could return. Asked what would happen if tensions in the Middle East worsened further, Matsukawa said, "There is a possibility we could go back to the situation from two months ago, when nothing could be done."

Source: CBC

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Marutake Tosou, a painting company founded about 50 years ago in Nagoya’s Nishi Ward, handles exterior walls and other building projects. Its workshop is lined with cans of thinner, an essential material used for sanding products and diluting paint, but at the end of April the company was struggling to secure supplies.

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