Alkali Industry in Japan

Japan produced 10% of the world s chlorine in 2001. The capacity for chlorine and caustic increased by 7% through the period 1998-2002 as a result of increases in the pulp and paper industry, PVC, TDI, MDI, and other organic and inorganic chemicals. 

Consumption of chlorine and caustic has decreased armually during 1997-2001 by 1.7% and 0.6% respectively, because of the weak economy and environmental concerns. The chlorine demand is expected to decline during 2001—2006 at an annual rate of 0.1 %, while the caustic demand is projected to grow armually by 1.2% during the same period. 

Historically, the Japanese chlor-alkali industry started in 1881, when the LeBlanc process was used to produce caustic soda. Osaka Soda and Hodogaya Chemical commercialized the mercury- and diaphragm-cell technologies in 1915. Asahi Glass started the Solvay process soon after. By 1973, 95% of the chlorine was produced by the mercury-cell process and 5% by diaphragm cells. In 1973, mercury pollution issues 

---