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EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation Policy Seminar
Current status and challenges of the circular economy: Toward a growth-oriented resource-autonomous economy
Tuesday 17 March 2026, 16:30–18:00 Tokyo (8:30–10:00 Brussels)
（With simultaneous interpretation, free event, Zoom webinar）
Efforts toward a circular economy (CE) are progressing in both Japan and the EU. CE is an economic system that aims to enhance industrial competitiveness and economic growth while ensuring efficient and cyclical use of resources at all stages of the supply chain and value chain, based on the premise of reuse/recycle from the product design stage.
Initially, CE was explained as necessary for environmental conservation purposes, but in response to changes in the international situation in recent years, it has come to be recognized as an initiative to aim for strategic autonomy from the perspective of economic security.
In Japan, the Circular Economy Vision was formulated in 1999, followed by a series of initiatives based on various recycling laws and regulations, including the enactment of the Basic Law for a Recycling-Oriented Society in 2001. From this year, efforts by businesses to use recycled resources have been strengthened under the Act on Promotion of Effective Utilization of Resources, and government-led initiatives called 'Circular Partners,' involving industrial and corporate collaboration, are also progressing.
In the EU, the first Circular Economy Action Plan was established in 2015, and a new CE Action Plan was adopted in March 2020 as part of the European Green Deal. Since 2022, four policy packages have been released, promoting recycling in various industrial sectors and reinforcing efforts for sustainable product design. In addition, a new Circular Economy Act will be adopted this year, and efforts aimed at establishing a single European market for recycled raw materials will guide it.
In this webinar, the authorities of both Japan and the EU will introduce the latest status and challenges of evolving CE policies and initiatives, and share the experiences of Japan and the EU based on the efforts of private sector stakeholders from both sides, and explore ways of cooperation.
Agenda
16:30-16:32 (8:30 -8:32) Opening remarks
- Manuel Hubert, EU-side Managing Director, EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation
16:32-17:20 (8:32 -9:20) Presentations
- Junichiro Mimaki, Director, Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy Division, Innovation and Environment Policy Bureau GX Group, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
- Stefano Soro, Head of Unit – Sustainable Products, European Commission DG Internal Market, Industry Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW)
- Makoto Harita, President, HARITA Co., Ltd.
- TBD
17:20-18:00 (9:20-10:00) Panel discussion/Q&A session
Moderator: Yasuo Tanabe, Japan-side Managing Director, EU–Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation
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Joint venture established in 1987 by the European Commission (DG GROW) and the Japanese Government (METI) for promoting all forms of industrial, trade and investment cooperation between the EU and Japan.
