Japan: towards higher profits
With an ageing population and requirement for more construction investment, the Japanese cement industry faces many challenges. There is a need for the sector to return to profitable pricing levels and modernise its production facilities, particularly as energy conservation and emissions reduction requirements shift from a domestic to a global focus. By Hajime Inoue, Japan Credit Rating Agency Ltd, Japan.
While medium-term cement demand is robust, Japan’s ageing population and lagging construction
investment present long-term challenges for Japan’s cement industry
Japan’s cement demand (domestic sales plus imports) in 2018 was 42.3Mt, around one per cent of the global total and one of the highest in the world. Although the contraction in demand (see Figure 1) indicates the maturity of the country’s economy, it is significant.
