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In 2023, the production volume of paper used for printing and communication in Japan amounted to approximately *** million metric tons. The majority of paper produced in Japan was used for printing and communication that year. Newsprint, sanitary tissues, and packaging and wrapping made up much smaller categories. 

 Japan remained one of the largest paper manufacturers

Following China and the United States, Japan remained the third-largest global producer of paper, as several Japanese companies ranked among the leading paper packaging companies worldwide, such as Oji Holdings, Nippon Paper Industries, and Rengo. However, Japan's consumption volume of paper declined steadily throughout the past decade. Especially the consumption of printing and writing papers is expected to decline further, likely due to the digitalization of such products.

 Paper packaging substitutes plastic packaging

In recent years, many Japanese companies started to substitute plastic with paper packaging since the latter is seen as more sustainable. Consequently, paper and paperboard made up the majority of packaging material shipments.
Paper is an easily recyclable material and is classified as a renewable resource since it is made from wood. To reduce waste and effectively use resources, the Japanese paper industry established a system of recycling wastepaper by using it as a raw material to produce new paper products. With a recycling rate of close to ** percent, paper poses a more environmentally friendly alternative to plastic.