Japan Circular Economy Roundtable was held in collaboration with the World Economic Forum (WEF)

1. Background & Summary

　MOE co- hosted "Japan Circular Economy Roundtable" on 2^nd and 3^rd March 2021, together with WEF in order to discuss the visions, issues and solutions the world business leaders should aim from the view of accelerating initiatives for circular economy in future around the world.

　In Open Plenary on 2^nd March, Mr. Shinjiro Koizumi, Minister of the Environment, Japan (Mr. Koizumi), Ms. Stientje van Veldhoven, Minister for the Environment, the Netherlands, Mr. Borge Brende, President and CEO, WEF, Japan Business Federation (Keidanren), private company and academics took the stage for comprehensive discussion on circular economy, taking into account global trends.

　Minister Koizumi mentioned the efforts of Japan to achieve the vision of "Three Transitions" towards: a decarbonized society, a circular economy, and a decentralized society, including:

1) Submitting a bill to Diet on plastic resource circulation to encourage businesses to design sustainable products, which is positioned as one of the important keys in order to realize the transitioning to a circular economy.

2) Accelerating sustainable finance to innovative companies to realize circular economy with world's first guidance on disclosure and commitments to promote sustainable finance on circular economy which has been published by government.

3) Launching the "Circular Economy Partnership" with Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry as well as Keidanren, aiming to promote circular economy through public and private partnership. Mr. Koizumi also disseminated the advanced technologies and solution of Japanese companies for the transition to circular economy

　In addition, the following visions and issues to be addressed in the future were discussed: "the transition to circular economy is essential to achieve decarbonized society", "standard visualization of environmental impact is important", "it is necessary for each of us to make responsible choices and decisions for action", "the issues should be organized through dialogues of public and private, and experts from Japan and abroad, and the efforts and solutions should be communicated to the world".

　Also, at the thematic sessions on "electronics", "Plastics" and "Innovation Finance " held on 3^rd March, speakers from Japanese and overseas private companies discussed visions and issues that each entity should aim to address from the corporate level.

2. Speakers

【Open Plenary】

・Schedule：2^nd March 2021（Tue）18:30 - 19:30　 （Random order）

【Thematic Session】

・Schedule：3^rd March 2021（Wed）17:00 - 19:00

「Accelerating the Circular Electronics and Batteries」 17:00 - 18:00

「Closing the Loop on Plastics Wastes」 17:00 - 18:00

「Circular Innovation and Finance」 　　　　 18:00 - 19:00

＊The recording movie of the Open Plenary is available on the WEF website.

(Japanese) https://jp.weforum.org/agenda/2021/02/kara-hesa-kyura-ekonomi-raundote-buru-sesshon/

(English）https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/02/from-ambition-to-action-japan-circular-economy-roundtable

＊Please note that we will not be able to answer any questions regarding the Thematic Session held on 3^rd March.

3. Future Plan

　MOE will strengthen the "Circular Economy Partnership" with Keidanren. MOE will also encourage the private business sector to actively promote circular economy as their own business strategy and disseminate the Japanese private business sector's technology and solution for circular economy to the world by collaborating with WEF or Platform for Accelerating the Circular Economy (PACE), by participating to international conferences on circular economy, and by utilizing the Global Alliance on Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency (GACERE), which was launched on 22^nd February 2021.

【Reference】

1. Disclosure and Engagement Guidance to Accelerate Sustainable Finance for a Circular Economy

   https://www.env.go.jp/press/108893.html

2. Kickoff of the "Circular Economy Partnership"

   https://www.env.go.jp/press/109225.html

   https://www.keidanren.or.jp/policy/2021/020.html

3. Global Alliance on Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency (GACERE）

   https://www.env.go.jp/recycle/circul/gacere.html

The Ministry of the Environment (MOE), in collaboration with World Economic Forum (WEF), co-hosted the Japan Circular Economy Roundtable on 2nd and 3rd March 2021 (online).
In Open Plenary (high-level session) on 2nd March, Mr. Shinjiro Koizumi, Minister of the Environment, Japan, Ms. Stientje van Veldhoven, Minister for the Environment, the Netherlands, Mr. Børge Brende, President and CEO, WEF and others discussed circular economy.
In Thematic Session on 3rd March, domestic and overseas private business sectors discussed the vision to aim and challenge as well as solutions in the field of "Accelerating the Circular Electronics and Batteries", "Closing the Loop on Plastics Wastes" and "Circular Innovation and Finance".
MOE will strengthen the "Circular Economy Partnership"　with Japan Business Federation (Keidanren). In addition, MOE will encourage the private business sector to actively promote circular economy as their own business strategy by collaborating with WEF and disseminate to the world the Japanese private business sector's technology and solution for circular economy.

For Japanese