While the country has relaxed work visa requirements for 14 different job categories, the recycling industry, which employs about 630,000 people, has been overlooked. Since China’s 2017 ban on plastic waste imports, recycling companies in the country have been keen to secure a share of the 600,000 tonnes of bottles discarded in Japan each year. The Japanese government has also recently announced plans for an additional landfill site at its main port city of Yokohama that will be able to handle up to 50,000 tons per year by 2030, according to local Such investment has led to a doubling of the price of used bottles to $0.32 per kg over the past year. Japanese firm Daiei Kankyo Holdings also aims to double production capacity by opening a new $13.8m plant in Osaka Prefecture in 2020.
Since China’s 2017 ban on plastic waste imports, recycling companies in the country have been keen to secure a share of the 600,000 tonnes of bottles discarded in Japan each year. The Japanese government has also recently announced plans for an additional landfill site at its main port city of Yokohama that will be able to handle up to 50,000 tons per year by 2030, according to local Such investment has led to a doubling of the price of used bottles to $0.32 per kg over the past year. Japanese firm Daiei Kankyo Holdings also aims to double production capacity by opening a new $13.8m plant in Osaka Prefecture in 2020.