A big metallic arm in a Japanese manufacturing unit swept a cluster of fluffy white material rectangles off a carousel into a gaggle to be wrapped in plastic earlier than packaging for cargo.
The gadgets had been grownup diapers being turned out by automated manufacturing strains that stretch for 80 m (262 ft) at a facility run by Daio Paper within the Fujinomiya area, close to the vacationer landmark, Mount Fuji.
Manufacturing facility overseer Naoto Sugaya stated output has grown yr on yr, as he held a pair of the “paper pants” near his thigh and defined their options.
“The half across the legs could be very tight-fitting,” he added. “While you put them on, you should utilize them with none fear.”
As Japan’s population ages, the corporate is pouring extra assets into the rising new market. It says income from grownup diaper gross sales is already double that of these meant for infants.
With births falling final yr to a file low, Japan’s inhabitants is more likely to decline by about 30% to 87 million by 2070, with 4 individuals in each 10 aged 65 or extra, estimates present.
These figures are pushing different firms to change focus, too.
One other diaper maker, Oji Holdings, made headlines this yr when it stated it could cease making nappies for infants and as an alternative deal with adults.
Aside from their dimension, diapers for adults have key variations, since clients are extra discerning than the common child, and depend on them in a wider vary of conditions, stated Daio Paper advertising supervisor Kenji Nakata.
Survey outcomes confirmed potential patrons discovered the corporate’s merchandise helpful, he stated.
“‘Wow,’ they stated, ‘In the event that they’re like this, I’d purchase them, they wouldn’t be embarrassing to carry dwelling,’” Nakata added. “‘If I wore these pants I might do my hobbies, go fishing, play golf, buy groceries in Ginza.’”
Daio Paper has no plans to cease making nappies for infants, Nakata stated, however the way forward for the enterprise was clear.
“We are able to anticipate the marketplace for grownup diapers to proceed to develop, and subsequently we’re devoting our firm’s assets to that market with a view to increasing these merchandise.”
Over the 5 years to 2027, Japan’s diaper marketplace for adults is about to develop 16% to 98.9 billion yen ($612 million), whereas that for infants is estimated to contract 8% to 84.6 billion yen, analysis agency Fuji Keizai says. ($1=161.6000 yen)
—Tom Bateman, Reuters
Kiyoshi Takenaka contributed to this report.