The rising phenomenon of circular cities in Japan. Case studies of Kamikatsu, Osaki and Kitakyushu

Japan has a culture of appreciating nature, but Japan is the 7th biggest waste producer of OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries, as it only recycles 19,6 %, deposits 1 % in landfills, and incinerates the rest. Japan also has one of the lowest rates (20 %) of renewable energy of OECD countries, and recently has decided to reactivate nuclear power plants. In contrast, cases of local circular economy initiatives are increasing in Japan. This suggests an opportunity for progress towards more ambitious circular economy goals. Circular Cities (CC) embrace the principles of the circular economy (CE) by managing resources to minimize waste, maximize efficiency, and promote sustainability. The idea of circular cities is taking hold in the country. This work assesses in a top-down approach CC from a general perspective considering the current state of the art, and then, its application to the Japanese scheme to be contrasted within three particular case studies. CC in Japan represents a holistic and sustainable approach that enhances well-being and the economy by using CE principles. It incorporates Japanese cultural attributes and the necessary stakeholders' involvement to maximize closed loops, reduce resource consumption, and establish a regenerative society. The paper recognizes current progress towards circularity in Japan's cities, towns, and villages, even though they may not call themselves “circular cities” per se. The paper proposes a definition for circular cities specifically for Japan. It analyses three case studies: Kamikatsu, Osaki, and Kitakyushu, urban areas with very different circumstances as examples of circular cities, with the final goal to provide recommendations to policymakers to help increase the circular cities phenomenon.