Catharina Klein
Research expert covering Japan
Paint industry in Japan - statistics & facts
Japan is well known for its global leading car manufacturing and shipbuilding industry as well as technology companies. All these industries have a strong demand for paint and coatings, creating a large market for paint. Paint and coatings are usually used to optimize, protect, or decorate different types of surfaces, ranging from objects to walls.
In recent years, Japan represented the fourth-largest exporter of paint worldwide. Furthermore, the shipment value of paint in Japan grew to over one trillion Japanese yen in recent years, indicating a steady growth in the Japanese market.
Japan is known for its export-driven economy – this also applies to the paint industry, as the island nation has more than twice exported the volume it imported in recent years. Japan mainly exported paint to Asian regions such as China, South Korea, and Taiwan, and mostly imported paint from Asian and American countries.
Paint and coatings are a major subset of the chemical industry. In recent years, the Japanese chemical industry was the fourth largest worldwide, following China, the United States, and Germany. Since the other manufacturing industries are dependent on the materials it provides, the chemical industry is one of the country's largest manufacturing industries. Product quality and innovation are the strengths of the Japanese chemical industry since a large amount is spent on research and development every year.
Based on sales, Nippon Paint and Kansai Paint were the leading paint manufacturing companies in Japan and ranked among the paint companies with the largest global market share. Both companies produce a variety of paint, ranging from protective coatings for automobiles and ships to decorative paint for building walls.
Paint industry in Japan
In recent years, emulsion paint represented the paint type with the largest production volume in Japan, followed by water-based resin paint. Emulsion paint is exclusively used for interior walls and ceilings, while water-based resin paint is used in the production of coatings, adhesives, sealants, elastomers, and composite materials.Japan is known for its export-driven economy – this also applies to the paint industry, as the island nation has more than twice exported the volume it imported in recent years. Japan mainly exported paint to Asian regions such as China, South Korea, and Taiwan, and mostly imported paint from Asian and American countries.
Paint and coatings are a major subset of the chemical industry. In recent years, the Japanese chemical industry was the fourth largest worldwide, following China, the United States, and Germany. Since the other manufacturing industries are dependent on the materials it provides, the chemical industry is one of the country's largest manufacturing industries. Product quality and innovation are the strengths of the Japanese chemical industry since a large amount is spent on research and development every year.
Japanese companies rank among the global leaders
The number of facilities in the paint manufacturing industry in Japan is relatively small, amounting to only around 457 facilities in recent years.Based on sales, Nippon Paint and Kansai Paint were the leading paint manufacturing companies in Japan and ranked among the paint companies with the largest global market share. Both companies produce a variety of paint, ranging from protective coatings for automobiles and ships to decorative paint for building walls.
