Economy Toilet paper panic back in Japan?

[thomas]

According to some media, Japan is currently in the grip of another toilet paper panic, similar to that during the COVID-19 outbreak. TBH, I haven't noticed any panic around here. Have you?


Panic buying is back in Japan. As the U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict rattles oil markets, Japanese consumers are stockpiling toilet paper—a product with no connection to the disruptions whatsoever —but it has caused enough problems for the country that the Japanese government has urged citizens to stop buying ahead of time. Still, social media posts depicting empty toilet paper abound. But why would people panic-buy goods unrelated to or not affected by the conflict? Panic buying behaves much like a bank run. Nobody knows exactly where it starts—some single, bleating data point that says this store is going to run out of toilet paper, or this bank is going to run out of money.

Japan's history with toilet paper panics The original Japanese toilet paper crisis came in 1973, also triggered by turmoil in the Middle East over oil. It began when Yasuhiro Nakasone, then the minister of international trade and industry, called on the public to conserve paper products. The announcement was meant to signal some austerity. Instead, it sparked rumours that paper supplies were running out—and Japanese consumers, particularly women managing household budgets, began buying enormous quantities of toilet paper. Academics have described the panic as a response to the growing instability of the middle class, a fear that their livelihoods were held up by smoke and mirrors. Since then, Japan has raced for its toilet products every time a crisis rolls around. The devastating earthquake and tsunami of 2011 triggered the same kind of hoarding behaviour, though apparently there were some actual disruptions in affected regions. Now, the cycle is repeating itself.

The great toilet paper panic is back as Japan starts stockpiling | Fortune

There is no scarcity of toilet paper in Japan. Why is it always the thing people reach for?

fortune.com

Japan urges calm after consumers empty toilet paper shelves

Japan's government releases a statement assuring people there is no issue with supply and no need to stock up, despite "reports and social media posts regarding the distribution of toilet paper".

www.abc.net.au

 

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

I didn't realize there was a toilet paper panic because I use a washlet. The other day, I ran out of toilet paper, so I opened the pack I had stockpiled a year ago and replaced it. It looks like I have enough to last another year, but I'm wondering if I should stock up again now.

I'll let my mother know, since she probably hasn't noticed either.

 

[mdchachi]

I have a big stockpile of TP and paper towels from a year ago when I was afraid Trump's tariffs were going to make such goods more expensive. But because he kept changing his direction it probably wasn't as large of an impact. But I believe it was still cheaper to stock up.