Photo:Xinhua

The Japanese government's industry ministry appealed to the public on Friday to remain calm and not to be swayed by rumors circulating online regarding claims of an impending toilet paper shortage due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Officials said that domestic supplies remain uninterrupted, and consumers should stay calm, NHK reported.

Residents in Japan recently rushed to stores and emptied shelves to stockpile on toilet paper as rumors spread across social media saying that, due to the coronavirus, Japan is unable to produce enough toilet paper because it cannot import the raw materials from China required for sufficiently manufacturing the in demand item.

Some people posted online such supplies they have “harvested” and one user shared regrets over seeing only “empty shelves” at local stores.

“That's fake news,” a paper manufacturer in Japan told the Global Times on Friday, noting that the stockpile of toilet paper in Japan “has nothing to do with China.” 

The company, a member of the country's household paper industry association, told the Global Times that all paper production in Japan is carried out domestically. 

According to the company, 70 percent of raw materials required for Japan's toilet paper production come from recyclables, such as discarded printing paper and newspapers, while 30 percent are from wood imported from overseas including nations such as Canada and Indonesia. Raw materials from China only make up 2 percent of the overall total.

Hoarding by the public may lead to a supply shortage temporarily. However, production among the country's manufacturers are continuing as usual. There is no need to worry about not being able to buy toilet paper.

Despite the fact that smart toilets are widely used in Japan, demand for toilet paper has still not decreased, as people still tend to use toilet paper after rinsing and drying, the company said.

The company emphasized that Japan's domestically produced toilet paper would be sufficient if people were not hoarding it. It hopes that rumors will be eliminated as soon as possible and toilet paper sales will return to normal.

Previously, Hong Kong's consumer watchdog also urged residents not to stockpile on toilet paper as panic occurred leading residents eager to buy stocks around the city. The watchdog also reminded that stockpiling toilet paper may result in mould accumulation.