TOKYO, May 31 (Xinhua) -- Japan's ethylene production plants recorded their lowest operating rate on record in April, as conflict in the Middle East choked off supplies of crude oil and its key derivative naphtha, a primary raw material for ethylene making, local media reported Saturday.

This photo taken on Dec. 19, 2022 shows a view of the Tokyo Tower at sunset in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo: Xinhua)

The utilization rate dropped to 67.3 percent, the weakest level since records began in 1996, breaking the previous record low of 68.8 percent in March, Kyodo News reported, citing the Japan Petrochemical Industry Association.

The country's ethylene output in April also dropped 37.1 percent from a year earlier.

With naphtha supplies from the Middle East becoming increasingly difficult to secure, major chemical manufacturers have turned to alternative sources within Japan and from regions other than the Middle East.

The shift has pushed up procurement costs, adding pressure to downstream industries and leading to higher retail prices for consumer products.

Resource-poor Japan had relied on the Middle East for around 80 percent of its naphtha supply.

Ethylene is a key petrochemical feedstock used in the manufacture of a wide range of products, including plastics, synthetic fibers, detergents, and paints.