Japan’s food waste problems and solutions

Food waste is a global phenomenon that happens in both industrial countries and developing countries. Every year, millions of tons of food is discarded or goes to waste. Japan is no outlier, and the country itself is combating the realities of an excess of food that is being wasted. What can be done to solve such a major issue?

What food waste statistics tell us

The amount of food that ends up in our garbage sites and landfills might be more than we imagine. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), approximately one third of food produced for human consumption is either lost or thrown away each year in the world. In other words, around 1.3 billion tons of food has gone to waste.

Moreover (this might come as a shock to a few people), both developing countries and industrialized nations produce roughly the same amount of food waste, which amounts to approximately 630 and 670 million tons, respectively. Unfortunately, Japan is no exception when it comes to chucking out unwanted food. The country accounts for around 6.21 million tons of edible food that is not consumed and left to rot.

Food waste also has a significant impact on our environment. When food is wasted, it also means that resources such as water and land are being abused. When crops, food, and produce go to waste, this implies that companies and consumers are spending millions of dollars that could have gone elsewhere. Moreover, in September of 2019, the World Resources Institute (WRI) stated that food waste has and continues to attribute approximately 8% of annual greenhouse emissions. This percentage is nothing short of staggering. It is necessary to understand the causes of food waste and how it is dealt with in Japan.

Where Japan’s food waste comes from

There are several factors driving food waste inside of Japan. For example, the use of the “one-third rule” by businesses could be having a negative impact. This practice forces wholesalers to deliver food products to retailers within the first third of the period between production until the “best-before date”. If delivery is not met within this deadline, retailers have a right to refuse products from wholesalers.

This forces wholesalers to throw out food that is perfectly edible. Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (MAFF) also notes that around half of waste comes from households. Based on a survey conducted by MAFF, 20% of waste found in garbage is considered to be food waste. At the same time, Japan is putting forward its best efforts to cut down on food waste, as well as to find better alternatives that can increase the recycling of food.

Japan is aware of its food waste, and is taking steps

Over the past few years, Japan has been on course to battle the food waste problem, which has been a thorn in the country’s side for many years. For example, one of Japan’s most famous convenience store chains, Seven-Eleven, has decided to relax delivery deadlines for food manufacturers in order to reduce food waste.

Ecobuy

Furthermore, many apps are also in development in order to ease the burden of uneaten food. One app that is being tested by the Tokyo metropolitan government goes by the name EcoBuy. EcoBuy aims to curb food waste by giving its users an incentive by purchasing products that are close to their expiration date. Through this process, the app aims to also allay consumer fears about purchasing food closer their expiration date. TMG and Docomo have chosen to team up with EcoBuy. Outside of businesses and corporations, it is wise to explore what local communities are doing to combat food waste.

Second Harvest Japan

Second Harvest Japan, the country’s first nationwide food bank established in 2002, focuses on improving food security, reducing food waste, and providing meals for the poor. As of 2017, Japan now has approximately 77 food banks across the country. It’s hard to believe that the country has rapidly begun to tackle the food waste issue with an abundance of food banks in different regions.

Okaeri Yasai

In 2018, a Nagoya community won a U.N.-related award for its efforts to recycle food waste from supermarkets and school lunches in order to make compost for vegetable farming; in other words, The Okaeri Yasai (Welcome Back Vegetables) program launched in 2008, thanks to endeavors made by an associate environmental studies professor, Tomoko Okayama, from Taisho University.

Organic matter for farmers in Miyazaki

Miyazaki Prefecture’s Aya Town has been doing something similar over the years. The town now separates its organic matter from burnable garbage. This organic matter is now being used as a manure that is sold to local farmers at a very low price.

Kyoto Biomass Utilization Project

Kyoto has also contributed in several different ways. Since 1997, it has been collecting cooking oil from households and has been operating a waste oil facility that recycles 5,000 liters of cooking oil everyday. Furthermore, Kyoto’s biomass utilization project now takes organic waste and, with the help of an intricate process, converts it into hydrogen, which is much safer for the environment than converting hydrogen from fossil fuels. Moreover, Kyoto is the only city in Japan that is carrying out such a procedure with food waste.

Although Japan, like other industrial and developing countries, is suffering from a food waste crisis, it is doing its best to bring an end to the problem. Through business incentives, community outreach, and efforts by local municipalities, Japan might be on the right course to drastically reduce, or even eliminate food waste, which will have a positive impact on the environment.