Japan PM Seeks to Ease Concerns Over Medical-Product Supplies

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(Bloomberg) — Japan’s prime minister sought to address public concerns about a shortage of medical devices caused by the war in the Middle East, saying her government was working to ensure stable supply.

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“There will be no immediate disruption to supply, so we ask for your calm response,” Sanae Takaichi wrote on X on Sunday, adding that Japan’s trade and health ministries were collaborating to ensure stable distribution of petroleum products such as naphtha and ethylene, from which products used in dialysis and surgery are derived.

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Takaichi said her government was responding to concerns about the availability of petroleum-based products used in areas other than energy, “and especially medical supplies.” She acknowledged that crude-oil shortages in other Asian nations had led to worries about the long-term supply of products manufactured elsewhere and shipped to Japan.

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Many Asian countries, including Japan, rely heavily on the Middle East for the supply of crude oil and petroleum products. The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz has disrupted shipments of everything from transport fuel to consumer goods as the war enters a second month with no resolution in sight.

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The shortages are affecting more than just fuel supply. By throttling the flow of naphtha, a petroleum derivative used in plastic manufacturing, the crisis has restricted the availability of instant-noodle packaging in South Korea and prompted Chinese exporters to lift export prices on goods ranging from toys to medical catheters.

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Hodanren, a Japanese federation of doctors and dentists, last week urged the government to take steps to ensure stable supplies of medical products such as syringes and catheters.“If supplies become tight, it will directly impact patients’ lives and health,” the organization said in a statement.

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Takaichi said in her post on Sunday that Japan was working to ensure enough naphtha was produced at domestic facilities, as well as seeking imports from alternative suppliers to reduce dependence on the Middle East.

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Japanese medical-device manufacturers Olympus Corp. and Terumo Corp. said they were monitoring the situation in the Middle East closely and that there was no immediate impact to production, according to spokespeople from both companies. Terumo procures naphtha-derived resins for its products and currently has inventory, its spokesperson said.

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For Japan, concerns over oil and petrochemical supplies have surfaced despite the allocation of crude from the nation’s vast stockpiles. The country has begun releasing oil from its strategic reserve, while the government has also introduced a subsidy to cap gasoline prices at around ¥170 ($1.06) per liter to ease the burden on consumers.

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—With assistance from Yui Hasebe.

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