Environmental Policy
Circular and Ecological Economy
The concept of the "Circular and Ecological Economy"
The 5th Basic Environmental Plan, approved by the Cabinet in April 2018, proposes the "Circular and Ecological Economy" based on global trends involving the world, such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement, as well as increasingly complex environmental, economic, and social issues, utilizing the SDGs' concept of integrated improvements to multiple issues. The "Circular and Ecological Economy" is a concept that aims to maximize the vitality of each region by forming a self-reliant and decentralized society while maximizing the use of regional resources such as beautiful natural scenery, and by complementing and supporting each other's resources according to regional characteristics.
The "Circular and Ecological Economy" is a concept that maximizes the vitality of Japan's regions, utilizing the most of both rural and urban areas, and its creation will lead to the realization of the SDGs and Society 5.0.
Through the creation of the "Circular and Ecological Economy, " we will create sustainable regions that will energize rural areas with environmental policy and build a sustainable society based on circulation and symbiosis.
![[Rural villages: Mountainous, agricultural and fishing villages] circulation of regional resources (natural, material, human, financial) local production for local consumption, introduction of renewable energy. [Cities: self-reliant and decentrailized society] circulation of regional resources (natural, material, human, financial) local production for local consumption, introduction of renewable energy. Feedback from rural villages to Cities: Natural resources/Ecosystem services based on Forest-Countryside-River-Sea in the region such as *food, water, timber *natural energy, *water purification, prevention of natural disasters; Feedback from cities to rural villages: Provision of funds and human resources such as *participation in nature conservation activities such as ecotourism *consumption of local products *support through socio-economic systems *investment in local funds](/content/900453286.png)