Japan's domestic paper shipments hit 39-year low in 2024
The drop came as newspaper publishers ended evening editions and the trend of reducing paper use in offices continued.
Domestic shipments fell for the third straight year and sank below 20 million tons for the first time since 19.52 million tons in 1985.
Annual shipments had hovered around 30 million tons until 2008 after peaking at 30.53 million tons in 2000.
Demand for printing paper has been declining against the backdrop of Japan's shrinking population. Demand for cardboard and other paperboard temporarily rose during the COVID-19 pandemic, when online shopping was booming, but has been sluggish since then.
Demand for newsprint and printing paper shows "no sign of stopping the decline," Toru Nozawa, head of the association and president of Nippon Paper Industries, said at a news conference Thursday.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Japan Today
3 days ago
- Japan Today
Australian court fines Qantas $90 million for illegal layoffs
Qantas has been fined for illegally laying off 1,800 ground staff during the Covid-19 pandemic By Laura CHUNG An Australian court fined Qantas Aus$90 million (U.S.$59 million) on Monday for illegally laying off 1,800 ground staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, ending a five-year legal battle over the workers' rights. Federal Court Justice Michael Lee said he wanted the penalty to be a "real deterrence" to firms that might be tempted by the financial rewards of breaching employment law. Qantas decided to sack the workers and outsource their jobs in August 2020, a period of lockdowns and border closures when no COVID-19 vaccine existed. Australia's Federal Court subsequently found that Qantas had acted illegally despite its stated "commercial imperatives" and later dismissed an appeal by the airline. It said the carrier had prevented staff from accessing their rights to collectively bargain or take industrial action. Long-dubbed the "Spirit of Australia", 104-year-old Qantas has been on a mission to repair its reputation, which was hit in recent years by the illegal sackings, soaring ticket prices, claims of sloppy service, and the selling of seats on already-cancelled flights. Qantas chief executive Vanessa Hudson took over in 2023, promising to improve customer satisfaction. She replaced Alan Joyce, who stepped down earlier than planned as Qantas endured heavy criticism over its treatment of workers and passengers, despite delivering bumper profits for shareholders. Qantas' fine is to be paid in two parts, the court said, with Aus$50 million going to the Transport Workers Union and Aus$40 million being held for future payments to the former workers. The penalty is in addition to a compensation payment of Aus$120 million for affected former employees that Qantas agreed to last year. "It has been five long years. Today is a victory, not just for our colleagues but for all Australian workers," said Anne Guirguis, who worked at Qantas for 27 years cleaning aircraft before being laid off. "We can close this chapter and move on now," Guirguis told reporters outside court. Transport Workers' Union National Secretary Michael Kaine described Monday's decision as a "final win" for the Qantas workers. "Qantas was not sorry to workers when it illegally outsourced these workers, many finding out they'd lost their jobs over a loudspeaker in the lunch room," Kaine said. "Qantas is only sorry now that it has to pay the largest penalty fine of any employer in Australian corporate history." © 2025 AFP
Japan Today
5 days ago
- Japan Today
China's economy lags in July under pressure from tariffs and a weak property market
Workers install a platform for a up-coming basketball games event by Chinese sports brand Li Ning at the capital popular commercial district, in Beijing, Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) By ELAINE KURTENBACH China's economy showed signs of slowing in July as factory output and retail sales slowed and housing prices dropped further, according to data released Friday. Uncertainty over tariffs on exports to the United States is still looming over the world's second-largest economy after President Donald Trump extended a pause in sharp hikes in import duties for 90 days, beginning Monday, following a 90-day pause that began in May. As officials worked toward a broader trade agreement, China reported earlier that its exports surged 7.2% in July year-on-year, while its imports grew at the fastest pace in a year, as businesses rushed to take advantage of the truce in Trump's trade war with Beijing. But that also reflected a lower base for comparison, and manufacturers have slowed investments, hiring and production as they watch to see what comes. Chinese manufacturers also have ramped up shipments to Southeast Asia, Africa and other regions to help offset lost business in the U.S. Still, annual growth in industrial output fell to 5.7% in July from 6.8% in June, the National Bureau of Statistics said. Investments in factory equipment and other fixed assets rose a meager 1.6% in January-July, compared with 2.8% growth in the first half of the year. Property investments plunged 12% in the first seven months of the year, with residential housing investment dropping nearly 11%. Prices for newly built housing in major cities fell 1.1%, as a prolonged downturn in the property industry lingered. The meltdown in the housing market hit just as the COVID -19 pandemic began, sapping one of the economy's main drivers of growth and causing dozens of developers to default on their debts. The crisis rippled throughout the economy, destroying jobs for millions of people. The government has sought to ensure that most housing that was paid for gets built, but sales remain weak despite a series of moves meant to entice families into back into the market. Since most Chinese families have their wealth tied up in property, the anemic housing market has been a major factor crimping consumer spending. In July, retail sales rose 3.7%, the slowest rate in seven months and down from a 4.8% increase in June. The unemployment rate rose to 5.2% from 5% as university graduates began looking for work. While consumer prices rose 0.4% in July from the month before, prices at the wholesale level slipped 3.6% from a year earlier in another indicator of relatively weak demand. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
6 days ago
Orion Breweries to Go Public as Early as Sept.
News from Japan Economy Aug 13, 2025 22:28 (JST) Tokyo, Aug. 13 (Jiji Press)--Orion Breweries Ltd. is expected to be listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange as early as September to become the first publicly traded manufacturer based in Okinawa Prefecture, southern Japan, people familiar with the matter said Wednesday. Founded in 1957, Orion Breweries was acquired by Japanese securities house Nomura Holdings Inc. and U.S. investment fund Carlyle Group for some 57 billion yen in 2019. The brewer's earnings have been recovering from the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic on the back of robust tourism demand in Okinawa. Nomura and Carlyle currently hold some 40 pct each of Orion Breweries, which is also owned about 10 pct each by Japanese beverage group Asahi Group Holdings Ltd. and Japanese conglomerate Kintetsu Group Holdings Co. As part of its tourism business, Orion Breweries collaborates with Junglia Okinawa, an amusement park that opened in July. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
