René Muschter
Research Expert covering Industry & Mobility
Packaging industry in Japan - statistics & facts
In Japan, paper and paperboard products were the most commonly used packaging materials, followed by plastic, metal, and glass. Paper packaging such as  corrugated boxes is mostly demanded for food packaging, but also for packaged goods. Plastic packaging is used for food and beverage containers as well. There is a high demand for on-the-go packaging formats in Japan, such as takeaway food boxes from supermarkets, and beverage bottles from vending machines. Even vegetables and fruits are often individually wrapped in plastic to keep them clean and fresh. This contributes to the generation of huge amounts of plastic waste and consequently, plastic packaging made up almost half of the household waste that was generated in Japan.
