Current Status and Future Outlook for Nonwovens in Japan

More than half a century has already passed since the production of nonwovens began in Japan. In January 1996, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (presently the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) modified the contents of production dynamics, and statistical surveys of nonwovens have come to be independently reported. Up to 2000, the nonwoven industry in Japan had been developing steadily. After the industry experienced a slowdown, it began to grow again and marked historical records consecutively in 2007 and 2008. However, the industry stopped growing and decreased in 2009 due to simultaneous declines of the world’s economies. At present, there are certain signs of a recovery, but people engaged in the industry are uncertain whether the business will continue to grow in the future.