Marine plastic waste is a global issue. It is imperative that each country appropriately manages and treats domestic plastic waste and prevents it from flowing out to the oceans. Furthermore, in order to set an accurate agenda, we must gain an understanding of the actual state of plastic waste entering the ocean, as well as scientifically reveal how ocean plastic impacts ecosystems and human bodies.

Given rising domestic and global concerns regarding marine plastic waste, Keidanren has set up “industry-specific plastic-related targets” (March 16, 2021) based on the Keidanren Policy Proposal “Opinion on formulating “Japan’s Resource Circulation Strategy for Plastics” (November 13, 2018), in order to promote measures to deal with plastic issues and to widely communicate the efforts made by Japan’s business community.

To solve marine plastic issues, it is important that we continue to promote product design that facilitates collection or recycling (Design for Environment), and that we develop recycling technologies that can reduce recycled material costs and improve quality. Japan should lead the world in addressing plastic issues by exporting or transferring to developing countries as packaged systems, the waste collection system and waste treatment and recycling technologies that it has compiled based on experience.