Japan’s Unique Circular Economy

Abstract

In this article, as a summary of this special issue, Japan’s unique situation regarding its transition to a Circular Economy is discussed. The legislative systems that have been implemented are reviewed, along with background issues such as the industrial structure and the possible unique characteristics of citizens as users. The paper then discusses the specific difficulties of a Circular Economy in regards to non-financial information disclosure, which has recently been the subject of deep discussion. The paper also touches upon traceability systems that are the infrastructure for such disclosure.

　The author tries to sort out various issues in this context: One important point, as discussed at the beginning of the article, is that Japan has yet to reach a consensus on the definition of Circular Economy. This is only seen as an opportunity for Japan to take initiatives in the transition of global economy towards Circular Economy.