Japanese release of Theatre Green Book for greener theatre performances

Image Nation Green has released the first Japanese translation of the “Theatre Green Book,” a comprehensive guide aimed at helping the performing arts industry reduce waste and achieve a circular economy. The guide is now available for free online.

The initiative addresses significant environmental challenges within the performing sector. These include the disposal of stage sets and costumes after a production’s run, extensive paper use for promotional materials, and the energy consumption of theatre buildings. The organisation noted that whilst individual efforts to reuse materials exist, the industry has lacked a unified framework to address these issues collectively.

The Theatre Green Book was originally created in the United Kingdom by a coalition of theatre professionals and environmental experts. It serves as a practical manual for sustainable practices and has been adopted internationally, with translations in 13 languages used by major theatres across Europe, as well as in Taiwan, South Korea and Australia.

The newly released Japanese version covers three key areas. The “Comprehensive” section outlines the basic principles of sustainability, whilst the “Sustainable Production” guide offers specific advice for each stage of creation, with role-specific tips for set design, props, costumes, lighting and sound. A “Sustainable Operations” section provides practical examples for managing theatre buildings and organisations, covering everything from paper use and catering to recycling and transport. A final section on “Sustainable Buildings” is scheduled for future translation.

Image Nation Green, which holds the exclusive translation rights for Japan, plans to promote the guide’s adoption through workshops and seminars. The organisation will gather feedback and data from its use in Japan to develop a fully localised version tailored to the domestic industry’s specific conditions. An editorial committee for this Japan-specific edition will be established in 2026, with a target publication date of 2027.

[Reference] Theatre Green Book Page (Japanese)