Japan Solar Update: No.205 (June 15 ~ 19, 2026)
The national government formulated the Circular Economy Action Plan for FY 2026 – FY 2030, and aims to strengthen economic security and industrial competitiveness, while promoting capital investment with a scale of 1 trillion yen ($ 6.32 billion) by 2030 through a public-private partnership in April, 2026.
The plan includes the Metal Recycling Promotion Strategy, and the supply targets of recycled materials, including iron, aluminum, copper, and permanent magnet, were established for the first time in Japan. While promoting the mandatory use of recycled plastic, the development of advanced sorting facilities, and the introduction of circularity standards through public procurement, the government will support the development of key recycling facilities, such as pretreatment facilities, port infrastructure, and smelting facilities.
| Category | Process (2026–2030) | Target / KPI |
|---|---|---|
| Recycling Infrastructure | Continuous public-private investment → facility development → nationwide hub expansion | Nationwide recycling hubs supported by approx. ¥1 trillion investment |
| Metal Recycling | System development → technology integration → large-scale deployment → capacity expansion | Establish a stable and self-sufficient domestic recycling system |
| Steel Scrap | Technology development → equipment investment → advanced sorting → high-grade processing | Secure additional ~2 million tons/year of processing capacity |
| Aluminum | R&D → pilot → advanced upgrading recycling → industrial scale-up | Secure additional ~2 million tons/year of processing capacity |
| Copper | System design → collection expansion → processing optimization → scale-up | Achieve approx. 30% of copper production from recycled materials |
| Metal Scrap Market | Market analysis → regulation → transparency → stabilization | Ensure a fair and competitive domestic scrap market |
| Rare Earth Separation & Refining | R&D → pilot plant demonstration → scale-up → industrial implementation | Achieve approx. 30% recycled rare earth materials in domestic supply |
| Rare Metals / E‑scrap | Pilot (small scale) → system build → large pilot plants → capacity expansion | Reach approx. 500,000 tons/year recycling volume (50% increase vs 2020) |
Source: RTS, based on key initiatives and the implementation roadmap