Japan Water and Wastewater Treatment Market Assessment, By Chemical Type, By Water Treatment Process, By End-use Industry, By Region, Opportunities, and Forecast, FY2017-2031F

Japan Water and Wastewater Treatment Market size was valued at USD 9.4 billion in FY2023, which is expected to grow to USD 14.2 billion in FY2031, with a CAGR of 5.3% during the forecast period, between FY2024 and FY2031. The increasing demand for water and wastewater treatment chemicals in the municipal corporation and the rising production activities in industrial sectors are the primary factors driving the market growth.

Moreover, the stringent regulations related to water treatment in industrial settings such as paper & pulp, food & water, and others are prompting the launch of new water and wastewater treatment plants in Japan to ensure superior sustainability targets, fostering market growth. Furthermore, the increasing environmental concerns related to water constraints are boosting the adoption of wastewater treatment processes. As a result, the demand for water and wastewater treatment chemicals such as PH control, biocides, and others is increasing to eliminate the contaminants from water. This, in turn, is fostering the growth of the Japan water and wastewater treatment market.

Increasing Industrial Production Activities is Boosting the Demand for Water and Wastewater Treatment Chemicals in Japan

In Japanese industrial manufacturing facilities, water and wastewater treatment deployment is vital to optimizing various water-based industrial processes, including cooling, rinsing, processing, and others. The increasing automation processes in manufacturing units and rising sustainability-compliant industrial production are the key trends driving growth of Japan water and wastewater treatment market.

For instance, according to the Japan Paper Association, in 2021, pulp production in Japan was 7,224,426 tons, and in 2022, it was 7,793,682 tons leading to the annual growth rate of pulp production in Japan at 7.9%. Thus, the increasing industrial manufacturing activities related to paper & pulp, food & beverage, and others fuel the demand for water and wastewater treatment chemicals in Japan to ensure efficient removal of hazardous substances and contaminants, thereby propelling the market growth.

Stringent Regulations Associated with Water and Wastewater Treatment in Japan

The prevalence of stringent regulations in Japan makes it mandatory to treat water and wastewater to ensure superior environmental compliance. Moreover, adopting stringent government regulations in Japan ensures the deployment of treated wastewater in industrial processes such as cleaning, processing, and others.

For instance, the Japan Waste Management and Public Cleaning Law compulsorily complies with local governments to develop a Household Wastewater Treatment Plan for the municipalities. Municipalities and cities will construct, operate, and maintain sewage treatment facilities. Hence, the compulsory stringent regulations for wastewater treatment are accelerating the demand for chemicals such as PH control, biocides, and others to remove the traces of bacteria. As a result, Japan's stringent government regulations favor market growth for water and wastewater treatment.

Increasing Demand for Wastewater Treatment in the Japanese Power Generation Sector

The prime benefits associated with water and wastewater treatment include easy breakdown of contaminants, minimum odor control, efficient chemical disinfectants, and others. Thus, water and wastewater treatment eliminate disease-causing bacteria. The utilization of wastewater treatment plants is increasing in the Japanese power generation sector to ensure significant compliance with regulatory norms and efficient use of treated water.

For instance, according to the Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies, Japan's electricity generation through thermal power plants accounted for 71.7% of the total share of electricity generation in 2021. Therefore, the increasing electricity generation through thermal power plants is accelerating the deployment of wastewater treatment chemicals in Japan to ensure efficient water re-usage, which is supplementing the market growth.

Impact of COVID-19

The restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 significantly impacted the production activities related to pulp & water, textiles, and others in Japan. For instance, according to the Japan Paper Association, paper and paperboard production declined by 10%, reaching 22,868,904 tons compared to 25,401,407 tons in 2019. Thus, the halt in manufacturing paper and pulp in Japan led to a decline in the revenue growth of the market in 2020.

However, the ease of COVID-19-related regulation by the end of 2020 led to improved market conditions in Japan. Likewise, in the coming years, it is anticipated that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic will be negligible, which will lead to the Japan water and wastewater treatment industry's outlook growth prospects during the projected forecast period.

Impact of Russia-Ukraine War

Materials such as aluminum sulfate, mineral oil, and others are vital for the manufacturing of water & wastewater treatment chemicals. The Japanese economy highly relies on Russia for energy demand. As a result, the higher energy prices impact the overall pricing of materials such as aluminum sulfate, mineral oil, and others. In addition, the volatility of petroleum prices directly impacts production costs.

For instance, according to the World Bank (WB), in 2022, due to the Russia-Ukraine war, the price of crude oil soared by USD 100 per barrel, reaching its highest level since 2013. Thus, the higher petroleum price impacted the transportation costs, raw material price, and others, impeding market expansion in the 1st quarter of 2022.

Key Players Landscape and Outlook

The prominent industry players dealing in the manufacturing of water and wastewater treatment market in Japan include Kurita Water Industries Ltd., ASAHI CHEMICAL & INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD, Nippon Light Metal Co., Ltd., Tohkemy Corporation., and others. The above-listed players are equipped with state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities to ensure an adequate supply of products as per the end-use industries' demand. The major players involved in water and wastewater treatment manufacturing in Japan are investing in strategies such as new product innovation, acquisitions, and others to increase their market share in the Japan water and wastewater treatment industry.

For instance, in March 2023, Xylem, a global manufacturer of water technology acquired Evoqua Water Technologies, a leading Japan Water and Wastewater Treatment chemicals manufacturer for USD 7.5 Billion. The prime focus of the acquisition was to increase the market position growth of Xylem in the Japan water and wastewater treatment market.