Why are there vending machines literally on every corner of Japan, and yet so little litter? The difference can be jarring when you see vending machines almost everywhere, and realise the surprising absence of rubbish bins. Some tourists find...
The winners of the first-ever Disaster Food Awards were announced in early March 2026, which represents another step forward in disaster prepareness, and recoginsing the importance of nutrition during emergencies. Frequent occurrence of earthquakes...
Bookoff Corporation will open its third Furusato Bookoff store in Fukaura Town, Aomori Prefecture, on 25 April. This store address the lack of bookstores in the area while promoting a circular economy through the reuse of second-hand books...
Gomi no Gakko, an organisation dedicated to waste education, released its Resource Circulation Status Survey Report earlier this month, highlighting how the primary obstacles to circular economy progress in Japanese companies are organisational and...
Earth Hour is a global environmental initiative where individuals, communities, and businesses turn off non-essential lights for one hour as a symbol of their commitment to the planet. It started in Sydney, Australia, in 2007, and has grown into a...
Minpu LLC has announced the nationwide expansion of its upcycling network, Kurozome Tomo no Kai (Black Dye Friends Club). The initiative has operated for 12 years primarily through word of mouth, facilitating the restoration of faded or stained...
Nature Innovation Group Co., Ltd., the operator of the umbrella sharing service i-kasa, released the results of a survey regarding forgotten and discarded umbrellas in Tokyo offices. The study focused on office workers in Tokyo’s 23 wards and...
Last month, food tech start-up Greenase partnered with Gunma Prefecture, the city of Maebashi and the social welfare organisation Yuzurihakai Nanohana to launch a circular school lunch programme. The initiative uses 100% unused vegetables sourced in...
Itakura Town in Gunma Prefecture has launched a new resource circulation initiative in partnership with the PASSTO service to promote the reuse and recycling of unwanted clothing. The town has installed PASSTO collection boxes at five public...
Japanese knitwear brand CFCL Inc. secured B Corp recertification in January 2026 with a score of 143.5 points. As of February 2026, this represents the highest score recorded by any Japanese company under the international certification system. B...