Japan to Draw Up Action Plan to Secure Recycled Materials
Japan plans to draw up an action plan to secure recycled materials as early as April amid China's export restrictions on rare earths.
At a meeting on a circular economy held at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on Friday (March 6), Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara instructed relevant ministers to create the plan by around April. A circular economy refers to a system in which discarded materials, such as plastics and metals, are reused.
"If we look at the world, export controls on critical minerals and recycled resources are increasingly being strengthened, and competition for them is intensifying," Kihara said, calling for enhanced efforts to secure recycled materials.
Diversifying suppliers of critical minerals, including rare earths, to reduce dependence on China is an urgent task worldwide.
In Europe, the mandatory use of recycled plastic in automobiles is expected to be introduced in 2026. Japan needs to build a better domestic supply system to strengthen industrial competitiveness.
The action plan is expected to include measures to reinforce cooperation between manufacturers and waste disposal companies and develop an international resource-circulation network.
The government aims to incorporate the plan in its upcoming growth strategy and annual basic policy on economic and fiscal management and reform.
[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
