From October 1 to October 7, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) will hold “Circular Economy Action Week,” an initiative that partners with participating companies to broadly encourage the public to practice four everyday circular consumption behaviors: buying, using, sorting, and circulating. Ahead of the event, METI unveiled the “Circular Economy Action Logo,” a common symbol for the campaign, along with an overview of the actions being taken by participating companies and organizations.
Circular Economy Action Week is timed to coincide with “3R Promotion Month” (a nationwide campaign promoting reduce, reuse, and recycle), which relevant ministries including the Ministry of the Environment and METI hold every October. The event builds on existing 3R efforts to further spread understanding and practice of the circular economy. The newly unveiled CE Action Logo will be distributed to member companies and organizations of Circular Partners (CPs), a METI-organized network of businesses and groups supporting the circular economy, for use in their own communications.
On October 3 and 4, a hands-on event will be held at MARK IS Minatomirai, a shopping complex in Yokohama, as a collaboration with Pac-Man, who has been appointed a “Circular Economy Action Partner.” Visitors who take circular-economy-related actions, such as sorting resources at participating stores inside the facility, will receive a ticket for one free play of the Pac-Man arcade game. Both days will run from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., with final admission expected at 7:00 p.m.
The actions taken by participating companies are as follows (in Japanese syllabary order):
- Air Closet, Inc.: During the event period, the company will offer a 30% discount on women’s items and a 10% discount on men’s items through its subscription-based fashion rental services “airCloset” and “airCloset Men’s.”
- Kao Corporation: The company will use social media (X and Facebook) to showcase its ongoing resource circulation efforts, including “Recycreation,” a program that collects and recycles used refill pouches, and the renewal of its “Emal” laundry detergent bottles to reduce plastic use.
- CLAS, Inc.: The company will run a campaign offering up to 50% off the monthly rental fee for eligible items, including its circular furniture “CIRCLE Series,” branded furniture, and products made from environmentally friendly materials.
- Suntory Holdings Limited: To promote bottle-to-bottle closed-loop recycling of PET bottles, the company will post educational videos on proper sorting, quizzes, and other content on its official social media every day during the event period. Suntory says that, since 2023, more than one in every two PET bottles used in its domestic soft drink business has been a 100% recycled bottle produced through closed-loop recycling.
- Seven-Eleven Japan Co., Ltd.: Through its PET bottle collection machine program, which has been in operation since 2017 and completed installation in all of Japan’s 47 prefectures in 2025, the company will encourage understanding of and participation in bottle-to-bottle recycling. As of March 2026, the cumulative number of bottles collected is said to have reached 800 million.
- Panasonic Corporation: In addition to sales and subscription services for “Panasonic Factory Refresh,” its line of inspected, warrantied refurbished products offered since April 2024, the company will launch a subscription service on October 1 for its water purifier-type water server (TK-RSS1), which eliminates the need to dispose of plastic bottles.
- BANDAI SPIRITS Co., Ltd.: The company will showcase initiatives such as the “Gunpla Recycle Project,” “Operation Gundam R (Recycle),” and “Gunpla Academia” through an exhibit at the 64th All Japan Model & Hobby Show and via social media.
- Mercari, Inc.: In October, the company will carry out three initiatives: “Mercari Kids Flea Market,” where children can experience buying and selling on their own (October 17 in Tokyo, October 25 in Osaka); the “#ConnectWithMercari Campaign” (October 1–7), in which 100 winners chosen by lottery from among those who follow and repost the official Mercari X account will each receive 2,000 yen worth of Mercari Points; and a campaign encouraging enjoyable circular shopping.
- Lion Corporation: The company will introduce, via its official social media during the event period, its ongoing efforts since 2015 to collect, recycle, and recover materials from used toothbrushes.
- Reform Studio Co., Ltd.: The company will take part in “Repair Week Japan 2026,” held from October 2 to 4 at AEON Mall Urawa Misono, offering workshops where visitors can experience repairing and remaking clothing, shoes, bags and other items, along with repair demonstrations and exhibits. It will also issue coupons through the iAEON app twice in October instead of the usual once a month.
Through participation in Circular Economy Action Week and use of the logo, METI aims to encourage further initiatives and communication by companies and organizations, thereby promoting the spread of the circular economy and its practice by consumers.
【Press release】Public-Private Collaboration to Promote the Circular Economy: “Circular Economy Action Week” to Be Held
【Reference】／October 1–7, 2026／Circular Economy (CE) Action Week to Be Held!
