イベント
—Approximately 300 Participants, Transcending Company and Industry Boundaries
Resource Recycling Council (General Incorporated Association) (Location: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Board of Directors Member: Atsuyoshi Yamasaki; Abbreviated as RRC) held a kickoff event titled “Leading Japan to Become a Global Top Runner in the Circular Economy” on December 27, 2023, to commemorate its founding and in preparation for the new fiscal year beginning in January 2024.
About 300 people—more than expected—from companies and organizations working on the circular economy participated in the event.
（Website of Resource Recycling Councilhttp://rrc.or.jp/）
■Approximately 120 Companies and Organizations Joined Within Two Months
At the start of the event, greetings were delivered from Mr. Kenshi Matsuyama—former Vice Minister of the Cabinet Office and Chairman of the Institute for Comprehensive Studies on the Economy and Society—who serves as an advisor to the council, as well as a message from another advisor, Shinjiro Koizumi, a member of Japan’s House of Representatives. Both advisors emphasized that the circular economy is vital to Japan’s national strategy and expressed their intention to work closely with the council to make it a reality.
Additionally, Mr. Shogo Tanaka, Director of the Resource Circulation Economy Division in the Industrial Science and Technology and Environment Bureau at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (an Observer to the council), noted that the council’s activities are quite timely for making the circular economy a growth industry. He expressed a desire to collaborate with the Ministry’s industry-government-academia partnership, “Circular Partners.”
Next, Secretary-General Takayuki Sasaki (Executive Officer and CMO of TBM Co., Ltd.) expressed gratitude that, in the two months since the council’s launch announcement on October 31, the number of participating companies and organizations—covering various membership types, sponsors, and Observers—had exceeded the initial year-end goal of 100, reaching about 120. He then explained the council’s background and upcoming activities.
Top left: Advisor Kenshi Matsuyama; top right: Advisor Shinjiro Koizumi (message only); bottom left: Shogo Tanaka, Director of the Resource Circulation Economy Division, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry; bottom right: Secretary-General Takayuki Sasaki
■All Executives Express Their Thoughts on the Council’s Activities
Afterward, 11 executives (including members of the board of directors and the supervisor) introduced themselves and shared their perspectives on the council’s mission. The council’s leadership not only comprises professionals experienced in circular economy- and sustainability-related businesses and policies, but also experts in launching and promoting new ventures, as well as consulting. Each member discussed what should be pursued to establish a circular economy with global competitiveness, from their respective viewpoints.
From the front row, moving back: Board of Directors Member Fumio Kaneko, Board of Directors Member Tokuya Takizawa, Board of Directors Member Yoshiteru Takemoto, Board of Directors Member Yasukuni Tanaka, Board of Directors Member Sumika Tabara, Board of Directors Member Tokutaro Nakai, Board of Directors Member Ayumi Fujimoto, Board of Directors Member Minoru Moriya, Representative Board of Directors Member Nobuyoshi Yamasaki, Supervisor Yugo Tsukuda, and Board of Directors Member Yoshiteru Itotani
Additionally, it was announced that, under the new structure of 11 members on the board of directors and the supervisor, the council has added Mr. Yoshiteru Itotani (Executive Officer of TOPPAN Inc.) and Mr. Hidetoshi Sakata (Executive Officer of Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.)—both from the manufacturing field—to the board of directors. Mr. Itotani, a newly appointed director, then spoke about his vision going forward.
The executives of the council are as follows.
Board of Directors (in Japanese alphabetical order)
Yoshiteru Itotani (Executive Officer, TOPPAN Inc.) [New]
Fumio Kaneko (President and Representative Director, Daiei Kankyo Co., Ltd.)
Hidetoshi Sakata (Executive Officer, Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.) [New]
Tokuya Takizawa (Managing Partner / Markets and Chief Sustainability Officer, EY Japan Co., Ltd.)
Yoshiteru Takemoto (CEO, Tobimushi Co., Ltd.)
Yasukuni Tanaka (Representative Director, Recycle-Tech Holdings Co., Ltd.; Representative Director, JAPAN Zero Carbon Smart City
Foundation)
Sumika Tabara (ESG / Purpose-Driven Management Strategy Consultant)
Tokutaro Nakai (Former Vice Minister, Ministry of the Environment)
Ayumi Fujimoto (Executive Officer and CMO, Plug and Play Japan; Representative Director, Startup Ecosystem Association)
Kenji Fuma (CEO of Neural Inc., Editor-in-Chief of “Sustainable Japan”)
Minoru Moriya (New Business Entrepreneur)
Atsuyoshi Yamasaki (CEO, TBM Co., Ltd.)
Supervisor
Yugo Tsukuda (Representative, FRONTLINE Tax Corporation)
At the bottom right of the photo is Director Kenji Fuma
■ A “Meet-Up” Program for Participants
In the latter half of the event, under the theme “Toward a Future Where Both Adults and Children Address Global Issues,” two elementary school students who are interested in environmental issues and are actively involved in related efforts shared their messages.
The first was Ms. Waka Ishimaru, a 4th grader affiliated with “CHEERS,” an organization that provides career education support for elementary and junior high school students. Addressing “the environmental professionals and those with a strong awareness of environmental issues gathered here today,” she spoke about her vision of the future Earth.
Additionally, nine other elementary school students from CHEERS worked on environmental-themed art projects at the venue and presented them onstage.
The other guest was Ms. Emma Hosoi, a 6th grader. In March 2022, when she was a 4th grader, she founded moco Earth Inc. to address global problems and now serves as its President and Representative Director—an elementary school social entrepreneur.
She introduced “Samutoru,” a litter-collection game that combines trash picking with an app and art made from waste, as well as various events she has been hosting around Japan.
Top left: 4th grader Ms. Waka Ishimaru; top right: Presentation of environmental art; bottom left: Ms. Emma Hosoi, President of moco Earth Inc.; bottom right: Ms. Ishimaru and Ms. Hosoi
In the next “Meet-Up” session, participants broke into small groups to exchange ideas and views around the theme “The Future of the Circular Economy.” Each participant introduced their own work, raised issues they see within their companies or as individuals regarding the circular economy, and discussed them. One of the council’s objectives is to share members’ voices widely with government agencies and initiate Policy Making and various actions for tangible improvements. This session served as a “pre-experience” of that process.
Attendees engaged in lively discussions and exchanged opinions
Afterward, Mr. Hisashi Hatomoto, Director of the General Affairs Division, Environmental Regeneration and Material Cycles Bureau at the Ministry of the Environment—also an Observer to the council—along with Mr. Kazuya Katayama, Director of Startup Strategy Promotion in the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s Startup and Global Financial City Strategy Office (linked through the “Tokyo Innovation Base” which served as the event venue), both emphasized that the circular economy not only addresses decarbonization and biodiversity but also enhances industrial competitiveness and solves social issues through innovation. They expressed a desire to collaborate with the council in various ways.
Left: Hisashi Hatomoto, Director, General Affairs Division, Environmental Regeneration and Material Cycles Bureau, Ministry of the Environment; Right: Kazuya Katayama, Director of Startup Strategy Promotion, Startup and Global Financial City Strategy Office, Tokyo Metropolitan Government
■Quarterly Events Planned
Next, the secretariat explained the council’s membership types and recruitment, after which all attendees gathered for a group photo and the event concluded.
After the event, a networking session was held at the venue, facilitating interactions beyond industry and corporate boundaries. In addition to booths introducing initiatives from Regular Member and Supporting Member companies, a variety of food and beverages aligned with sustainability and environmental awareness themes were provided.
Going forward, the council plans to hold quarterly events such as presentations of working group activities, seminars on the circular economy, and networking sessions aimed at business matching and building relationships.
[Membership Types]
※In principle, only Regular Members and Special Members may participate in working groups (optional). The secretariat selects working group members based on the theme and number of participants. In addition, companies and organizations that are Approval Members or Supporting Members may be asked by the board of directors or the secretariat to cooperate in surveys related to the council’s activities or to optionally join working groups alongside Regular Members and Special Members.
[How to Join]
We accept membership applications via our website:（http://rrc.or.jp/membership/membership/）
※Membership is subject to review.
[Overview of the Council]
Name: Resource Recycling Council (General Incorporated Association)
Location: Toho Hibiya Building 15F, 1-2-2 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0006