Catharina Klein
Research expert covering Japan
Packaging industry in Japan - statistics & facts
In Japan, paper and paperboard products were the most commonly used packaging materials, followed by plastic, metal, and glass. Paper packaging such as corrugated boxes is mostly demanded for food packaging, but also for packaged goods. Plastic packaging is used for food and beverage containers as well. There is a high demand for on-the-go packaging formats in Japan, such as takeaway food boxes from supermarkets, and beverage bottles from vending machines. Even vegetables and fruits are often individually wrapped in plastic to keep them clean and fresh. This contributes to the generation of huge amounts of plastic waste and consequently, plastic packaging made up almost half of the household waste that was generated in Japan.
As part of the goal to establish a carbon-neutral society by 2050, the Japanese government has drawn up strategies to reduce fossil-based plastics. In 2019, it formulated the Resource Circulation Strategy for Plastics, which aims to reduce single-use plastic products and promotes switching to raw materials such as paper or bioplastics instead. It also encourages companies and citizens to reuse and recycle waste.
Overall, paper containers and packaging are becoming increasingly common, as many Japanese companies currently work on replacing plastic products with more sustainable and more easily recyclable paper alternatives. However, the overall recycling rate remains low, and incineration persists as a waste recycling method. To make its packaging industry more environmentally friendly, Japan needs to further reduce plastic packaging and recycle the materials instead of incinerating them.
What environmental impact does plastic packaging waste have?
The huge amounts of plastic packaging waste contribute to both land and marine waste pollution: In recent years, plastic packaging such as food wrappers or plastic beverage bottles was among the most common waste items that were collected from the coasts and oceans of Japan. Microplastic pollution can cause health issues both for animals and humans, as the tiny pieces of degraded plastic absorb harmful chemicals that end up in the food chain. The increasing public awareness of such environmental issues puts pressure on the Japanese government to tackle this problem and find more sustainable alternatives.What is Japan doing to reduce packaging waste?
Following the Container and Packaging Recycling Law, plastic, paper, PET bottles, aluminum, and glass are collected separately to be recycled. However, the recycling rate of packaging materials in Japan stood at around 65 percent for plastic, and only close to 23 percent for paper. The overall recycling rate remains even lower at around 20 percent, as the majority of municipal waste in Japan is incinerated.As part of the goal to establish a carbon-neutral society by 2050, the Japanese government has drawn up strategies to reduce fossil-based plastics. In 2019, it formulated the Resource Circulation Strategy for Plastics, which aims to reduce single-use plastic products and promotes switching to raw materials such as paper or bioplastics instead. It also encourages companies and citizens to reuse and recycle waste.
Overall, paper containers and packaging are becoming increasingly common, as many Japanese companies currently work on replacing plastic products with more sustainable and more easily recyclable paper alternatives. However, the overall recycling rate remains low, and incineration persists as a waste recycling method. To make its packaging industry more environmentally friendly, Japan needs to further reduce plastic packaging and recycle the materials instead of incinerating them.
