Japan Glass Packaging Market - Growth, Trends, COVID -19 Impact, Forecasts (2021 - 2026)

The Japan Glass Packaging Market is expected to register a CAGR of 8.6% during the forecast period. However, Japanese brewers are facing a tough time due to the rapid spread of the Corona Virus. As nightlife and restaurant activity come to a near-standstill, Japan-based beverage company Suntory estimated that the annual beer sales in Japan would fall 4 %. This will directly impact the glass bottle manufacturers in the liquor and beer segment.

Key Highlights

• Japan is the one of the fastest-growing pharmaceutical industries and continuously focuses on strong innovation and patent drugs. Further, the Government of Japan is also contributing to the growth through deregulations for international companies to invest, thus driving the pharmaceutical market in the country.
• Further, in the recent past, Japan developed three new Japanese Industrial Standards and revised eight standards to promote the distribution of materials made by recycling waste glass bottles and further direct efforts to establish a sustainable resource-recycling society.
• Additionally, over the years, Japan has been emphasizing recycling glass containers and bottles to reduce carbon footprint and has built multiple glass recycling plants across the country. Currently, it has over 18 glass recycling plants accepting glass bottles and containers to form glass cullets and powder. The vital recycling infrastructure, in a way, promotes the use of glass packaging due to its functional property advantages.
• From summer 2020, the companies plan to deliver food, drinks, and home products in returnable containers using materials such as glass and collect the empty containers while targeting 5000 households and shops in Tokyo.
• According to the Ministry of Finance as of April 2020, Japan's total expense of around JPY 1.8 trillion is planned for medical and pharmaceutical-related measures in the country. The investments made by Japan government in the pharmaceutical industry for the development of vaccines and drugs show an increasing need for glass packaging in the region.

Key Market Trends

Vials Expected to Witness Significant Growth

• Vials are also expected to maintain a strong market position in the coming years due to growth in the global market for generic parenteral drugs. Forming technology combined with intelligent machine vision systems helped tighten specs in all quality dimensions, increasing the overall quality standard for the entire industry.
• Further, in February 2021, AstraZeneca filed for the health ministry's approval of its COVID-19 vaccine to present the country with 120 million doses of the vaccine developed by the University of Oxford. In addition, Daiichi Sankyo and KM Biologics Co. plan to manufacture around 30 million doses. Such moves are expected to drive the growth of glass vials in the region.
• Many companies in the region expanded their production capacities and manufacturing capabilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation for vials and ampoules production. In May 2021, Nipro acquired the Croatian glass vials and ampoules producer, Piramida, which plays a crucial role in Japan, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the increased production of vaccines. Piramida is one of the prominent manufacturers of glass ampoules for the pharmaceutical industry in the European market. The acquisition of Piramida is designed to help Nipro offer glass vials and ampoules needed in Japan for COVID-19 vaccines.
• According to the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare, Japan, in 2020, the seasonal influenza vaccine supply volume is estimated to reach approximately 33.2 million units in Japan. The consumption volume of the vaccination amounted to around 29.7 million units in 2019. This indicated the growing need for vials for vaccines in the country.
• Further, according to Statistics Bureau Japan, it is projected that the revenue of Glucose, starch syrup, and high-fructose corn syrup in Japan will amount to approximately USD 2.1 billion by 2024. This is expected to lead to the demand for glass packaging in the form of a vial

Cosmetics and Perfumery Expected to Witness Significant Growth

• The country is witnessing new product launches by local brands. For instance, Kao Corporation is set to release 44 new color cosmetic products in February 2020 to mark the official rebrand of cosmetics brand Kanebo.
• To sustain the increasing competition and capture maximum market share, a few players are increasing their production capacities. For instance, Shiseido plans to open two new plants before 2022 in Japan, for which it has the intended investment of JPY 120 billion. Also, the company has an ongoing new plant in Otawara. Such investments are anticipated to augment the growth of cosmetic packaging in the country.
• Moreover, the new product launches are further driving the need for glass packaging in the country. For instance, in February 2020, e'quipe Ltd, a cosmetic firm based out of Tokyo, Japan, announced the launch of athletia, a skincare and lifestyle brand, alongside RMK and SUQQU, to tap into the rising active beauty and wellness trends in the country. Also, in an attempt to mark the social rebrand of its cosmetics brand Kanebo, Further, Kao Corporation, a Japanese cosmetics conglomerate, announced to release 44 new color cosmetic products in February 2020.
• In addition, in June 2020, Quadpack, an international cosmetic packaging manufacturer and provider, opened a commercial office in Tokyo to begin operations in Japan. Quadpack aims to gain a 1% market share in APAC by 2025 with the opening of this office and estimates that Japan will account for 35% of its APAC sales.

Competitive Landscape

The Japan Glass Packaging Market is competitive owing to multiple players in the market. Players in the market adopting strategies such as product innovation, partnerships, mergers and acquisitions to increase their market share and further recyclability driving the market.

• July 2021 - KOA announced the Glass Jar in the Loop Project. The Special Gel Cream A (Oil-in) by Shiseido AQUA LABEL will be available in Loop Japan's "Loop EC" beginning August 31st.
• June 2021 - Takemoto Yohki Co., Ltd released the CEHI-200, a heat-resistant jar that enables hot filling and secondary sterilization. The jar has the same high clarity as glass but is lighter and more resistant to breakage. Further, The jar is available in single carton quantities and comes in a colorless translucent finish with a silver cap.

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