Middle East conflict causes natto prices to rise and sales to stop in Japan.

The tense situation in the Middle East has led to disruptions in shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, causing headaches for Japan, which is highly dependent on imported energy. Industries such as construction, food processing, and daily goods production in Japan have all felt the impact of the shortage of petroleum derivatives like naphtha, which is presenting itself in various forms in Japan. The naphtha shortage has already caused delays in the delivery of newly built houses in Japan. Subsidiaries of Mitsubishi Estate, among other developers, have begun notifying clients about the situation. In Fukuoka, a house construction project is behind schedule due to the naphtha supply shortage, which has caused a rise in construction material prices and even led to delayed deliveries. Several food companies in Japan have recently announced changes in packaging to reduce costs. Additionally, due to price increases in packaging materials and soybeans, the Sunstar Company will raise the prices of 19 natto products by 6% to 20% starting in June, with 4 products already discontinued earlier this month. Daio Paper Corporation in Japan also plans to increase prices by at least 15% starting in August for products including facial tissues, toilet paper, kitchen paper, diapers, and cleaning supplies.