Japanese ethylene output in 2011 fell below those attained in 2008, the year in which the world went through an economic downturn.
2011 ethylene output touched 6.69 million, down 4.7 percent from its previous year and also below 6.88 million tons reached in 2008.
Ethylene output fell mainly in the second-half of 2011, due to slowdown in demand from Japan's biggest buyer - China, which too was affected by the European debt crisis, according to the Japan Petrochemical Industry Association.
The body said that the petrochemical industry was going through a very bad phase, due to the slowdown in demand from China and which has also affected operating rates of the plants.
The negative growth was also attributed to the lowering of demand from another segment - car manufacturers, which too were affected by the floods in Thailand.