Japan’s Asahi Kasei Says Seeking Alternative Sources of Naphtha

Japanese chemicals maker Asahi Kasei Corp. says it’s working to diversify sources of naphtha as the war in the Middle East curbs supplies.

The company is sourcing the key petroleum product used in plastics-making from the US, Central and South America, Africa and Central Asia, President Koshiro Kudo said at a press conference in Tokyo on Wednesday. Asahi Kasei is working closely with the government to broaden its supply, he said.