Japanese chemical company Zeon Corporation (日本ゼオン) has reportedly broken ground on a new single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) plant at its Tokuyama facility in Shunan City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. Total investment is reported at approximately 14.7 billion yen, with up to 5.1 billion yen in subsidies reported to be provided under Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) battery supply security program certification.
The expansion is aimed at increasing production capacity of SWCNT, a material used in batteries, with post-completion capacity reported to increase by dozens of times over current levels (equivalent to an annualized 128 GWh of battery capacity). The applied technology is reported to be a new manufacturing process developed from Zeon’s proprietary “Super Growth” method, marketed under the brand name ZEONANO®, applied using Zeon’s own technology without an external licensor.
The groundbreaking ceremony was held on August 25, 2026, reportedly attended by 44 people including officials from METI, Yamaguchi Prefecture, and Shunan City. Construction is reported to begin on September 1, 2026, with completion targeted for February 2028 and full operation expected sometime in 2028. Total investment is reported at approximately 14.7 billion yen, of which up to 5.1 billion yen is reported to be subsidized under METI’s battery supply security program certification.
SWCNT is a key conductive material used in lithium-ion batteries, and expansion of battery material supply chains is reported to be advancing with policy support in various countries amid rising demand for electric vehicles and energy storage systems (ESS).
Implications for Korea’s Industry
It is reported that Korean battery material companies would benefit from continued monitoring of Japan’s SWCNT capacity expansion and supply chain trends.
Whether the February 2028 completion target is achieved and the actual supply volume following full operation are cited as key points to watch.