Japan has fallen into a severe plastics supply crisis, while major global plastics producers have launched concentrated price increases across key product lines starting in May 2026.
According to incomplete statistics, since March, global plastics leaders including BASF, Dow, Celanese, Kolon and Mitsubishi have successively issued price adjustment notices covering core product categories such as PE, PA, ABS, POM and MDI. The pace of price hikes has accelerated notably in May, with multiple companies implementing increases at the same time.
Amid this global wave of price rises, Japan is suffering a critical plastics supply crunch. Hit by supply disruptions of core plastic feedstocks driven by tensions in the Middle East, Japan’s ethylene operating rate has dropped below the safety threshold, resulting in widespread shortages and price surges for plastic packaging, pallets and related products. Japanese manufacturers have responded with round after round of price increases:
Toray Plastics (China) announced a further price increase effective May 11, 2026, for its nylon, PBT, PPS, LCP and other product lines, with a rise of RMB 2,500 per metric ton.
Previously, Toray raised prices across its full product portfolio effective March 30: nylon, PBT and LCP increased by RMB 3,500 per ton, and PPS by RMB 2,500 per ton.
After the two consecutive increases, some products have seen a cumulative rise of up to RMB 6,000 per ton.
Post time: May-14-2026