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• Zeon Advances Development of IR Surgical Glove Materials Jan. 9, 2026
  In the first half of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026 (April to September), Zeon’s elastomer materials division reported a decrease in sales compared to the same period last year, but an increase in profits. Sales of synthetic rubber declined, reflecting weaker demand in certain segments. When examining sales trends by product type, general-purpose […]
• Resonac Focuses on Functional Solutions to Meet Niche Demands Jan. 8, 2026
  In the first nine months of fiscal 2025 (January to September), Resonac saw a decline in sales of chloroprene rubber (CR) compared to the same period last year. “The decrease was attributed to the lingering effects of production issues in the previous year, which impacted sales during the first half of this year. However, we […]
• JATMA Forecasts Japanese Tire Demand for 2025 and 2026 Jan. 7, 2026
  On December 16, 2025, the Japan Automobile Tire Manufacturers Association (JATMA) released its Japanese domestic tire demand forecast for 2025 and 2026. According to the forecast, total tire demand for 2025 is expected to exceed that of 2024 across all categories—new car tires, aftermarket tires, and two-wheeled vehicle tires. Specifically, total demand for 2025 is […]
• Sumitomo Rubber Adopts Sustainable Carbon Black for First Time in Mass-Produced Tires Jan. 6, 2026
  Sumitomo Rubber has become the first company to use resource-circulating carbon black, made from chemical recycling of used tires and other rubber materials, in some of its mass-produced passenger car tires. Production of these tires has begun at the Miyazaki plant in November 2025, accelerating the company’s efforts toward resource circulation. Resource-circulating carbon black is […]
• METI Revises Eco-Car Subsidy in Line with US-Japan Tariff Agreement Jan. 6, 2026
  The Eco-Car Subsidy is set for a revision. According to an announcement made by the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) on December 18, 2025, the subsidy cap for electric vehicles (EVs) will be raised by 400,000 yen, bringing it to 1.3 million yen ($8,300). Meanwhile, the subsidy for fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) will […]
• Yokohama Rubber Launches Tire Solutions Service for Taxi Operators Jan. 5, 2026
  Yokohama Rubber and its group company, Okinawa Yokohama Tire, have announced the launch of a tire solutions service for taxi fleets in collaboration with the Okinawa East Traffic Business Cooperative Association. This service began in mid-December 2025 and integrates air pressure sensors with the next-generation tire management system, “T.M.S.” The service aims to enhance safe […]
• Power Transmission Belts See Strong Sales in 2025: Gates Unitta Asia Dec. 19, 2025
  Gates Unitta Asia expects higher sales in its Japanese domestic general industrial belt business for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025. By market, sales to semiconductor manufacturing equipment, its largest customer segment, increased on a full-year basis, although demand has recently shown signs of weakening. “In the first half, performance was strong as we […]
• Fujikura Composites Posts Record-HighProfits Dec. 18, 2025
  Fujikura Composites reported record-high operating and ordinary profits for the first half of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026, supported by a recovery in industrial materials and a favorable product mix. For the April–September period, net sales increased 2.9% year-on-year to 20.23 billion yen ($130.68 million). Operating profit rose 19.3% to 2.68 billion yen, […]
• Bridgestone and AIST Develop Technology to Chemically Recycle Used Tires Dec. 17, 2025
  The National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) announced that a research team led by Senior Researcher Yoshihiro Ueda, in collaboration with Bridgestone, has developed a chemical recycling technology for tire rubber. By combining chemical decomposition at near room temperature with a subsequent thermal decomposition process, the team successfully recovered isoprene and carbon […]
• Toyo Tires President Takashi Shimizu Reflects on 2026, Looks Ahead to 2026 Dec. 16, 2025
  Takashi Shimizu, President and CEO of Toyo Tires, reflected on fiscal 2025, the company’s 80th anniversary year, highlighting progress at its Serbia plant, which began operations in 2022 and reached full production capacity this year. “Tires manufactured at the Serbia plant have won product awards from a leading UK trade magazine. By leveraging state-of-the-art production […]