Helena Joyce
Japan is one of the world's biggest plastic waste producers, with Asia producing 54% of the world's plastics, led by China and Japan. Japan has taken a conservative but proactive stance during international negotiations on plastic pollution, and has implemented policies and initiatives to reduce plastic waste and promote recycling. For example, Japan has passed laws and enforced strict rules on plastic waste, making consumers responsible for part of the waste disposal costs. Japan has also promoted the development of biodegradable packaging materials and supported cleanup activities in rivers and on beaches. However, Japan has been criticized for its relatively low recycling rates and resistance to change from the business community.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Plastic waste generation rank | Second in the world |
| Plastic waste generation per capita | More than the European Union average and China, but less than the United States |
| Plastic waste exported to other countries for recycling | 14% |
| Plastic waste burned | 58% |
| Plastic waste truly recycled | 14% |
| Plastic bottles produced per year | 23.2 billion |
| Public support for cutting down on plastic | Growing |
| Zero-waste cities | Kameoka in Kyoto, Kamikatsu in Tokushima |
| Recycling rate in Kamikatsu | 80% |
| Year of signing the Basel Convention banning the transboundary movement of waste | 1980s |
| Yearly contribution to the Environment Fund | US$1.94 million |
| Contribution to four UNEP-led projects | US$6.9 million |
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What You'll Learn
Japan's stance on international cooperation to tackle plastic pollution
Japan has taken a conservative but proactive stance on international cooperation to tackle plastic pollution. The country has been working towards reducing plastic pollution, particularly in Asia. In 2020, Japan and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) announced a cooperative effort to tackle plastic pollution across Asia, with Japan contributing US$6.9 million to four UNEP-led projects. This includes the CounterMEASURE project, which aims to determine the origins of plastic pollution in some of Asia's major rivers and support local partnerships for reducing plastic pollution.
Japan has also contributed to the Environment Fund, UNEP's core fund, and supported conflict debris management in Iraq and South Sudan. In 2019, Japan announced its Osaka Blue Ocean Vision at the G20 Summit in Osaka, committing to reducing additional pollution by marine plastic litter to zero by 2050.
However, Japan has been criticised for its approach to plastic waste management. Despite claiming that 86% of its plastic waste is recycled, it has been revealed that 58% of Japan's plastic waste is incinerated for energy recovery, and only 14% is truly recycled domestically. Japan has also been accused of exporting its plastic waste to neighbouring countries, such as China and Vietnam, rather than dealing with it domestically.
To address these issues, Japan has implemented various measures, including passing laws and enforcing strict rules on plastic waste, making consumers responsible for waste disposal costs, and encouraging producers to develop plastic waste recycling technologies. Japan has also expressed a need for greater international cooperation to counter plastic pollution and has announced plans to install more collection boxes for plastic waste, promote cleanup activities, and develop biodegradable packaging materials.
While Japan has shown a willingness to engage in international cooperation to tackle plastic pollution, there is a need for the country to align its domestic approach with international governance to effectively address the issue.
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The country's waste management framework
Japan's waste management framework has been a topic of discussion and concern for environmentalists and the government alike. While Japan has taken steps to address plastic pollution, the country's waste management framework has been met with some criticism.
Japan's waste management framework operates at the municipal level, with municipal governments responsible for waste management. This has led to varying levels of success in different areas of the country. For example, the cities of Kameoka and Kamikatsu have achieved notable success in waste reduction, with Kamikatsu boasting a recycling rate of around 80%. This has been attributed to civil engagement and the work of non-profit organizations like the Zero Waste Academy, which promotes repurchase programs for used products and advocates for alternatives to landfill and incineration.
At the national level, Japan has implemented policies to reduce plastic waste, such as charging for plastic bags in retail stores and promoting the use of reusable bags. The government has also announced plans to install more collection boxes for plastic waste, promote cleanup activities, and develop biodegradable packaging materials. Japan has also contributed financially to international efforts to tackle plastic pollution, such as the UNEP-led CounterMEASURE project, which aims to track plastic pollution to its sources and implement policy changes to reduce plastic pollution in Asia's major rivers.
However, Japan's waste management framework has been criticized for its heavy reliance on "thermal recycling," where plastic waste is incinerated to produce heat and electricity. This method accounts for about 58% of Japan's discarded plastic. Additionally, there is criticism regarding the lack of transparency and tracking of the 14% of plastic waste that is exported to other countries for recycling, raising concerns about its final destination and disposal method.
Furthermore, there is resistance from the country's business community, particularly manufacturers, to reduce plastic usage. This resistance is intertwined with the ruling party and the powerful Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry, hindering progress toward significant reductions in plastic consumption.
To align with international standards and effectively tackle plastic pollution, Japan needs to modify its domestic approach. This includes embracing international responsibilities and implementing principles of international environmental law, such as the precautionary principle, into its legal system.
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The reduction of plastic packaging
Japan is one of the world's biggest plastic waste producers, with Asia producing 54% of the world's plastics, led by Japan and China. Japan's high plastic waste production is due to its love of packaging. For example, in Japan, it is customary to give omiyage or souvenir snacks to colleagues in the workplace, and these are usually individually wrapped.
Despite the Japanese government's claim that 86% of its plastic waste is recycled, only 14% is truly recycled in the traditional sense, i.e. being broken down and made into new products. The remaining 58% is incinerated to produce heat and electricity, and 14% is exported to other countries, with no way to confirm if it is truly recycled or ends up in landfills, the ocean, or burned.
Japan has taken a conservative but proactive stance during international negotiations on plastic pollution. The country has also passed laws and enforced strict rules on plastic waste, making consumers responsible for part of the costs associated with waste disposal. Japan has also encouraged producers to develop technologies for plastic waste recycling.
To reduce plastic packaging, Japan has:
- Installed more collection boxes for plastic waste around the country
- Promoted cleanup activities in rivers and on beaches
- Developed biodegradable packaging materials
- Reduced packaging plastics and utilization rates
- Implemented repurchase programs for used products in cities like Kameoka in Kyoto and Kamikatsu in Tokushima, where the recycling rate is around 80%
- Reduced the weight of PET bottles by 24.8% compared to 2004 levels
- Achieved a 17.6% reduction in plastic packaging and containers
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Public awareness and pressure
Japan is one of the world's biggest plastic waste producers, with production of plastic bottles jumping to 23.2 billion per year from 14 billion in 2004. In 2019, Asia produced 54% of the world's plastics, led by China and Japan. Japan's high plastic consumption is due to its love of packaging, with each vegetable at a grocery store individually sealed in plastic.
Despite the government's claim that 86% of its plastic waste is recycled, only 14% is truly recycled in Japan, mostly being broken down and made into new products. The remaining 58% is sent for "thermal recycling", meaning it is incinerated to produce heat and electricity, and 14% is exported to other countries for recycling, although there is no way to confirm if it is truly recycled.
Environmental groups and individuals in Japan are already raising the alarm about the need to cope with plastic pollution. The phrase "fukuroo irimasen" ("I don't need a bag") has become common, and some consumers are choosing reusable bags and carrying their water bottles to avoid buying plastic ones. Civil engagement has helped propel the adoption of zero-waste policies in Japanese cities such as Kameoka in Kyoto and Kamikatsu in Tokushima, where the recycling rate is around 80%.
However, there is still resistance to change from the country's business community and manufacturers, who are intertwined with the ruling party and the powerful Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry. To effect real change, consumers need to continue putting pressure on industry and local governments to reduce plastic usage and improve recycling practices.
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Local government initiatives
Japan is one of the world's biggest plastic waste producers, with production of plastic bottles jumping to 23.2 billion per year from 14 billion in 2004. Despite this, there are several local government initiatives in place to help curb plastic pollution.
In 2019, the Keidanren (Japan Business Federation) published a white paper titled "Voluntary Action Plan for Establishing a Sound Material-Cycle Society", which outlined a reduction in plastic packaging and containers, as well as a decrease in the weight of PET bottles. Japan has also contributed to the Environment Fund, UNEP's core fund, and has partnered with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to tackle plastic pollution across Asia. This partnership includes a project to determine the origins of plastic pollution in Asia's major rivers, such as the Mekong and Ganges, and to establish local partnerships for reducing plastic pollution.
At the G20 Summit in Osaka in 2019, Japan announced its Osaka Blue Ocean Vision, which committed to collecting plastic waste and promoting waste management, with the goal of reducing additional pollution by marine plastic litter to zero by 2050. Japan also plans to install more collection boxes for plastic waste around the country, promote cleanup activities in rivers and on beaches, and develop biodegradable packaging materials.
On a smaller scale, the city of Tokyo has implemented a weekly collection of glass, aluminium, and plastic at designated points around neighbourhoods. Additionally, the Zero Waste Academy, a non-profit organisation in Kamikatsu, has worked with manufacturers to develop repurchase programmes for used products and advocated for the local government to stop disposing of waste in landfills or by burning it.
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Frequently asked questions
Japan has taken a conservative but proactive stance during international negotiations on plastic pollution. The country has also implemented policies to reduce plastic waste, such as charging for plastic bags in retail stores and promoting the use of reusable bags.
Japan has contributed financially to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)-led projects, such as the CounterMEASURE project, which aims to track plastic pollution to its sources and develop policies to stop it from leaking into waterways. Japan has also established the Zero Waste Academy, a non-profit organisation that promotes repurchase programmes for used products and advocates for more sustainable waste management practices.
Japan is one of the world's biggest plastic waste producers and consumes more plastic per capita than the European Union average and China, but less than the United States. In 2019, Asia produced 54% of the world's plastics, with China and Japan leading the way.
Japan's business community, including manufacturers and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, are resistant to change and deeply intertwined with the ruling party. Additionally, there is a lack of awareness among consumers about the true fate of their plastic waste, which reduces pressure on the government and themselves to moderate plastic consumption.
