JP Circular Economy Policy Package
ENFORCEMENT TIMELINE
Phased implementation ongoing since April 1, 2022
Overview
Built around the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's Circular Economy Vision 2020 and its growth-oriented carbon pricing concept, the Circular Economy Policy Package is a national strategy that goes beyond recycling as an environmental measure, aiming to strengthen corporate competitiveness and drive innovation. It sets out circularity by design from the earliest stages of product development, expanded use of recycled materials, and a shift toward circular business models built on cooperation between upstream (manufacturing) and downstream (recycling) industries.
Enforcement Timeline
May 2020: The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry publishes the Circular Economy Vision 2020.
March 2023: Resource circulation promotion measures are formulated in coordination with the growth-oriented carbon pricing concept.
2024 to 2025: Guidelines to promote circular economy investment are introduced, and public-private-academic partnerships are expanded.
Business Impact
A broad range of businesses, particularly manufacturers, are encouraged and expected to redesign their entire business model, from raw material procurement through product design to post-use collection and recycling, around circular principles.
Actively adopting recycled plastics and biomass materials, designing products for longer service life, and responding to service-based models such as subscriptions and sharing represent growth opportunities and differentiating factors.