Abstract
This paper summarizes projects of private investment-based technology transfer of Japanese waste management and recycling industries into developing Asian countries, taking into account business conditions such as applicability to the local environment, sustainable management and operation, and long-term feasibility of the system. Any technology transfer project should provide concrete solutions to problems and address requirements for recipient countries, while at the same time paying attention to the trends of competing donor countries or local companies. Recycling of construction and demolition waste, waste-to-energy schemes, comprehensive waste management systems, and hazardous waste treatment and recycling are regarded as the prospective fields for project implementation based on favorable acceptance by recipients and the comparatively high advantage held by Japanese industry in terms of technological and geographical background. Past experience showing stable operations, successful management of operational systems, and its demonstration of proficient risk evaluation are considered to be the strengths of Japanese-origin technology and management systems. By contrast, these points are also directly linked to low-cost competitiveness and prolonged decision making which are seen as the significant weaknesses of Japanese industries, when compared to competing countries. Of course, a minimum of effort toward enforcement of cost competitiveness is essential, but more important is the positive and aggressive emphasis of strength of Japan’s overall waste management and recycling industry. In other words, the Japanese waste management and recycling industry needs to be re-branded to represent current values as a practical contributor to the development of society.
