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July 01, 2026
 

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SUPPLY CHAINS

Ethane is a natural gas liquid primarily used to produce ethylene, a building block for plastics.
BUSINESS
Apr 20, 2026
Iran war deepens China’s dependence on the U.S. for niche gas
Shipments of U.S. ethane are expected to rise to an all-time high of 800,000 tons in April, around 60% higher than the monthly average.
The U.S. is recasting its national security strategy around economic resilience and Western Hemisphere priorities as it confronts vulnerabilities exposed by dependence on critical Chinese minerals, supply chains and key inputs.
COMMENTARY / World / Geoeconomic Briefing
Apr 19, 2026
Why economic security is central to U.S. national security
No previous U.S. national security strategy has incorporated economic security to this extent. Why, then, has it become so prominent during Trump’s second term?
An oil refinery in Yokohama. The government has stressed that the total volume of oil needed for Japan as a whole can be sourced from reserves and alternate locations that do not require transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 17, 2026
Japanese government urges suppliers not to hold back critical materials from the market
It insists that shortages are in part the result of companies limiting sales due to fear of future scarcity.
Bathtub makers are suffering material shortages as the Iran conflict stretches on.
BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 14, 2026
Japanese bathtub makers halt orders as material shortages bite
Major suppliers have stopped giving delivery dates for their own products.
Blocks with symbols and atomic numbers of rare earth elements
BUSINESS
Apr 11, 2026
EU and U.S. near critical minerals deal to combat Chinese control
The potential deal would create incentives, such as minimum prices, that could advantage non-Chinese suppliers, according to a draft of an “action plan.”
The U.S. and Israel’s war on Iran has left developing countries using Chinese tech and trade, like solar panels and EVs, better able to weather fallout than those relying on American-backed supply chains.
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 8, 2026
Is Trump the president who lost Asia to China?
After six weeks of the U.S. and Israel’s war on Iran and its ensuing counterattacks, it is the countries that bet on Chinese supply chains that are faring best.
Mitsubishi Chemical's Ibaraki plant in Kamisu, Ibaraki Prefecture, which produces ethylene and other petrochemical products
BUSINESS / Companies
Apr 8, 2026
Japan walks tightrope to keep ethylene plants running amid Middle East crisis
Manufacturers are reducing output to keep their plants running because it takes over a month to restart after a suspension.
A DHL container is loaded from a truck onto trains at a terminal in Hamburg, Germany, in December 2022.
BUSINESS / Markets / FOCUS
Apr 5, 2026
Pharmaceutical logistics in demand as war rattles supply chains
As fears of medicine shortages grow amid the war in the Middle East, pharmaceutical logistics help ensure steady shipments to hospitals, pharmacies, and other customers worldwide.
Health deputy minister Hirobumi Niki (center left) receives a petition from patient groups in Tokyo on Wednesday.
JAPAN / Science & Health / FOCUS
Apr 2, 2026
Patients in Japan seek stable supply of medical goods as war concerns loom
Shortages of naphtha — used in plastic — has patients worried about access to life-saving equipment as the Iran war continues to disrupt supply chains.
Industry minister Ryosei Akazawa speaks during an online gathering of officials of Group of Seven leading industrialized nations on Monday. Akazawa has been named Japan’s critical-materials czar by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
BUSINESS
Mar 31, 2026
Akazawa appointed critical-materials czar in response to conflict in the Middle East
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said the industry minister is tasked with reviewing the supply situation and developing policy responses.
India’s reliance on foreign inputs and supply chains to keep its economy running, including discounted Russian oil, may reflect tactical diplomacy but also raises questions about whether its policy of strategic autonomy rings hollow.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 23, 2026
Threats abound to India’s traditional geopolitical role
At a time when supply-chain security has become sacrosanct, New Delhi continues to depend on allies, partners and adversaries alike for critical goods.
A gasoline tanker truck at an Idemitsu Kosan gas station in Tokyo on Monday. Curbs on production of petrochemical products by multiple Japanese firms point to a brewing crisis that could stunt pressure sectors from food to technology.
BUSINESS / Economy
Mar 17, 2026
Limited supplies of naphtha an underrecognized supply chain risk in Japan
Curbs on production by multiple Japanese petrochemical firms point to a brewing crisis that could stunt pressure sectors from food to technology.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi responds to questions during a budget committee session of the House of Representatives at Parliament in Tokyo on Monday.
JAPAN
Mar 14, 2026
Japan and U.S. to confirm cooperation on key minerals
The Japanese and U.S. governments are working to issue a joint document on the matter, informed sources said.
The U.S., Japan and the EU are preparing to announce plans to lay the groundwork for a critical minerals trade deal that could include a price floor and tariffs to counter market distortions by China.
BUSINESS
Mar 13, 2026
U.S. critical minerals talks advance with EU and Japan on price floor
Global efforts to diversify critical minerals supply chains intensified after Beijing last year imposed sweeping export controls, including on rare earths.
The Lynas Rare Earths processing plant in Kalgoorlie, Australia
BUSINESS / Companies
Mar 11, 2026
Lynas surges 15% after revamp of rare earths deal with Japan
The commitment of Japan to pay guaranteed long-term prices for the critical materials is the latest sign of the enduring impact of China’s supply squeeze.
A customer holds newly purchased iPhone 17 Pro at one of the Apple’s stores in Mumbai, India.
BUSINESS
Mar 10, 2026
Apple now makes about 25% of iPhones in India after China pivot
Even though the gap has narrowed, electronics assembly and component manufacturing still costs more in India than in countries including China and Vietnam.
Mitsubishi Chemical makes ethylene at plants in Chiba and Osaka prefectures.
BUSINESS / Companies
Mar 10, 2026
Mitsubishi Chemical cuts ethylene output due to possible supply issues
Output of ethylene, used for plastics and other industrial products, is being reduced due to possible shortages of raw materials from the Middle East.
Kao is facing increasing pressure from activist fund Oasis Management for an independent investigation into its supply-chain practices.
BUSINESS / Companies
Mar 5, 2026
Activist fund Oasis calls on Kao to hold shareholders’ meeting over supply-chain risks
The fund received numerous whistleblower allegations concerning Kao’s practices, including potential links to deforestation and human rights violations.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi attends a Lower House Budget Committee session on Friday where Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi urged officials to consider creating a "China-free" supply chain for defense equipment.
JAPAN / Politics
Feb 27, 2026
Koizumi urges pivot away from China for defense equipment supply chain
The defense minister underlined the importance of boosting self-reliance following Beijing’s ban on exporting dual-use items to Japan.
The Tanbreez rare earth minerals site near Narsarsuaq, Greenland. The United States has unveiled a critical-minerals partnership with Japan and the European Union.
BUSINESS / Economy
Feb 5, 2026
U.S., EU and Japan unveil critical-minerals partnership
Critical minerals include rare earth metals, which are key to the production of goods like smartphones, fighter jets and electric cars.
Uruguay federation reportedly cancels charter flight after World Cup exit
Uruguay's Jose Maria Gimenez reacts after the team's loss against Spain at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday.
Inside Japan’s rigid adoption system, a British family finds a way
James Benstead, his wife, Jesse, and their three children. Their adopted son is in the rear stroller.
India’s gig workers pay the price for exposure to New Delhi’s hazardous air
Rohit Kushwaha waits for a customer as he delivers his last parcel of the day, in New Delhi in January. His work as a delivery driver has helped pay the family’s bills, but has had a significant impact on his health.
Life inside Japan’s largest prison for women
Western-style rooms spanning the size of four tatami mats with hardwood floors, a toilet and soft mattresses on bed frames are designated for foreign nationals and those with health conditions at Tochigi Prison.
Yen hits 40-year low against the dollar, breaking ¥162 level
Japan's currency broke ¥162 to the dollar on Tuesday in Tokyo.
Japan’s fertility system offers few safe paths for same-sex couples
A Tokyo Pride parade participant holds a sign that says "we want to be a married couple, not a couple."
Inside Japan’s rigid adoption system, a British family finds a way
James Benstead, his wife, Jesse, and their three children. Their adopted son is in the rear stroller.
A French ship with close ties to Japan combines arts and sciences on the high seas
Romain Troublé, the executive director of Tara Ocean Foundation, speaks to visitors aboard the Tara during a rare port call in Tokyo in April.
In Kyushu’s far south, Senti.U sparks a culinary destination
Chef Yasuhiko Uchida was born in Saga Prefecture but has made his home in Kanoya, Kagoshima Prefecture, since 2012.
‘The colors speak for themselves’: How Japan’s chroma bible went global
“A Dictionary of Color Combinations” is meant to function as a quick-reference guide for artists, designers and anyone with a passing interest in aesthetics as a quantifiable pursuit.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

The Terasaka Rice Terraces are seen with Mount Buko in the background.
What Yokoze can teach Japan about rural revival
By Alex K.T. Martin

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