"We Can't Take Orders" Japan's Companies in Turmoil Over 2026 Iran War... New Orders Halted, Share Prices Plunge

[Financial News] As the 2026 Iran War disrupts global crude oil supply chains and triggers raw material shortages, Japanese bathroom fixtures maker and retailer TOTO has suspended new orders for its prefabricated bathrooms.
Nikkei Asia and other Japanese media outlets reported on the 13th that TOTO had notified its business partners of the suspension. The halt applies to prefabricated and modular bathroom products, and the company has not decided when it will resume taking orders.
Founded in 1917 in Fukuoka, Japan, TOTO manufactures toilets and bathtubs. It specializes in the familiar white ceramic toilets and bathtubs commonly seen in bathrooms.
Shortly after the Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) reported the news, TOTO's share price fell as much as 8.8%, marking its steepest intraday drop since October 2024.
Local media also noted that disruptions in Naphtha supplies are likely to force more manufacturers, like TOTO, to halt orders or raise prices as production problems spread.
On the same day, housing equipment maker Takara Standard said that tensions in the Middle East are destabilizing supplies of Naphtha-related materials, and its share price slumped 6% after the announcement.
Naphtha is a basic feedstock for petrochemical products derived from crude oil. It is used to produce a wide range of materials, including plastics, synthetic fibers, fertilizers, and synthetic rubber, and is often called the "rice of industry."
According to the Japan Petrochemical Industry Association (JPCA), about 40% of Japan's Naphtha supply depends on imports from the Middle East. TOTO has stopped taking orders because it is running short of organic solvents used to coat the walls and ceilings of its modular bathrooms.
y27k@fnnews.com Seo Yoon-kyung Reporter