| Man-made fibre output in Japan fell in 2009 for the | | | | domestically. Fibre usage for tyre reinforcement, |
| ninth consecutive year. Furthermore, the decline, at | | | | meanwhile, fell by a sharp 25.0% in 2009 to its |
| 22.0%, was more than twice as fast as any previous | | | | lowest level in over 15 years. Furthermore, although a |
| fall during the nine-year period. Output of filament | | | | large proportion of the drop consisted of steel fibres, |
| yarn plunged by 29.9% while that of staple fibres | | | | there were also declines in polyamide, polyester and |
| decreased by a substantial 15.1%. The fall in filament | | | | rayon. |
| yarn output reflected double digit declines in all the | | | | In technical textiles, nonwoven fabric production |
| main fibre types. In the case of staple fibres, output | | | | dropped in 2009 to its lowest level in over ten years, |
| of all the main synthetic fibre types fell at double digit | | | | despite reaching a peak in 2007. There was also a |
| rates but the drop in cellulosic staple fibres was | | | | decline in output of industrial textile goods—to a |
| confined to 4.3%. | | | | level which was barely half of that witnessed ten |
| Japan's man-made fibre plants are being poorly | | | | years earlier. Meanwhile, spunbonded fabric output |
| utilised. In synthetics, capacity utilisation plunged to | | | | deteriorated for the third time in four years to reach |
| less than 50% in 2009 as output declined by as much | | | | its lowest level since 1999. |
| as 24.3%. In cellulosics, capacity utilisation was a | | | | Technical textile production is unlikely to increase |
| more sustainable 75.6%. Nonetheless, this was its | | | | significantly in the near future as the industry faces |
| lowest rate since 2000—due to a 10.1% drop in | | | | growing competition from low cost producers in |
| output. | | | | Asian countries—notably China. Moreover, these |
| Mill consumption levels have also been deteriorating in | | | | problems are expected to become increasingly acute |
| recent years. Although usage rose slightly in 2006/07 | | | | as vehicle and automotive component production |
| and 2007/08, it declined by 14.3% to a new low in | | | | increases in China. However, the declines in 2009 are |
| 2008/09. Fibre consumption for industrial uses fell by | | | | likely to have been exacerbated by the global |
| 12.4% to its lowest level since 2001/02 although | | | | recession and production may stabilise in 2010. |
| 84.2% of the amount consumed was still produced | | | | |