Last Updated:	2006-08-22
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Introduction

Japan's laws governing product take-back and recycling are among the most far-reaching and ambitious in the Asia region. There are many possible factors contributing to the Japanese government's take-back and recycling "policy campaign," including mounting waste management issues on the island chain's limited land mass. Recent statistics released by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization set up by METI and other ministries indicate that over the last 10 years or so, industrial waste generation has been steady at around 400 million tonnes per year, and municipal waste generation at around 50 million tonnes. Furthermore, Cabinet Office information on remaining life of final waste disposal sites at around 12 years for domestic waste disposal sites, and just over 4 years for industrial waste.

Japan's world leading role as an electronics manufacturer has made it aware of trends in many of its overseas markets towards the encouraging of consideration of environmental matters in the design and disposal phases of designs. This has resulted in Japan developing legislative frameworks, and electronics related industry groups establishing voluntary initiatives that in a short space of time have become among the most progressive in the world.