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3R Initiative

Japan's Approach to the 3R

A Sound Material-Cycle Society through the Eyes of Hokusai (Japanese version)

Due to the worsening of global warming and clinical evidence of resource depletion, the establishment of a Sound Material-Cycle Society is imperative where natural resource consumption and environmental burden are appropriately controlled in the national and international context. In an effort toward its realization, the Ministry of the Environment complied a book called “A Sound Material-Cycle Society through the Eyes of Hokusai”, and distributed it at the Toyako Summit in Hokkaido where international enthusiasm about environmental issues was quite intense. In the effort toward a Sound Material-Cycle Society, Japan is especially in a leading position. Therefore, the book was translated into seven languages including English, German, French, Italian, Russian, Chinese and Korean, to appeal its message to the world.


_ The Features of the Book

The book, “A Sound Material-Cycle Society through the Eyes of Hokusai” adopts the comic book style of manga, one of the representative means of expression of Japan, to introduce the outline of the “White paper on a Sound Material-Cycle Society, 2008“. We chose Katsushika Hokusai, the world famous Edo era Ukiyoe artist, to navigate the story, and the style is also adopted from "Hokusai Manga", one of the typical works of Hokusai, so that the readers can enjoy its particular atmosphere.

Incidentally, the book was printed using wind power. This is the first book published by the Japanese government that is widely sold at the book store, after obtaining green-power certification.


_ Content

  • Prologue
  • Theme 1  The World Situation concerning Waste Management and Resource
  • Theme 2  Edo's Sanitary Material-cycle System
  • Theme 3  The People in the Edo Era with Their Spirit of Mottainai
  • Theme 4  Japan's History of Proper Disposal of Waste
  • Theme 5  Establishment of a SMC society – Our Goal
  • Theme 6  Community-based Establishment of a SMC society
  • Theme 7  Creating a SMC in East Asia
  • Theme 8  Preventing Illegal Waste Imports and Exports
  • Theme 9  Japan's Contribution to the World
  • Epilogue

_ Inquiries and Information

The book is available at cost. (Japanese version only)
Contact us at:

Gyosei Co., Ltd. (Sales Department/ Oyama, Isobe)
Tel. +81-3-5349-6667

“A Sound Material-Cycle Society through the Eyes of Hokusai”
Approximate price: 300 yen (Tax included. Delivery charge is not included.)

The book is also available through order from the nearest bookstore.

And the books translated into English, German, French, Italian, Russian, Chinese and Korean, are also available in the Ministry of the Environment. If you need them, Please call +81-3-5521-8336 in the Ministry of the Environment of Japan.




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