People formulating its culture of resource circulation
In previous columns, we have introduced the history of resource circulation in Japan and advanced technologies and initiatives in other countries.These are the people who have been supporting this recycling process for many years.
According to the “3rd Consumer Survey on SDGs” (2020/1,400 men and women aged 10 to 70 nationwide), approximately 33% of respondents in their teens and twenties are aware of the term “circular economy,” the third highest after “no plastic” and “minimalism.” The concept of resource circulation is also rapidly gaining interest among young people.
The workforce involved in resource circulation in Japan has been growing while its composition, and its role have changed over time. The table below provides an overview of the changes in the main workforce from the 1940s to the present.
Table 1. Trends in workers in the resource recycling industry (approximate numbers)
| period | Estimated number of employees | Characteristics of the main players | remarks |
| 1940s (wartime) | Tens of thousands of people | Forcibly mobilized Koreans, Chinese, etc. | Dismantling and metal requisitioning |
| 1950s-1960s | 100,000 to 150,000 people | Koreans, war orphans, urban workers | Voluntary recovery from the ruins |
| 1970s to 1980s | About 200,000 people | Locally based family business, construction company, etc. | Increase in waste materials due to rapid economic growth |
| 1990s | About 300,000 people | Japanese-South Americans; grow from small to mid-sized businesses | The beginning of the development of recycling laws |
| 2000s to 2010s | About 350,000 to 400,000 people | Increase in employment of technical intern trainees and elderly people | Home appliance and food recycling system in place |
| 2020s | Approximately 420,000 people (of which approximately 100,000 are in intermediate processing) | Multinationalization (Vietnam, China, Philippines, etc.) | Supporting SDGs and decarbonization strategies |
In this way, we can see that along with the evolution of systems and technology, the diversification of workers and the division of labor have progressed in the workplace. Furthermore, when we look at the trends in the export volume of recycled materials, the trend of recycled materials expanding from “domestic circulation” to “international circulation” becomes clearer.
Table 2. Trends in export volumes of major recycled materials (approximate figures)
| period | Major changes in export countries | Waste paper export volume (approximate) | Iron scrap export volume (approximate) |
| 1950s | Domestic completion cycle | ー | ー |
| 1970s | Mainly for domestic use, with some to Taiwan and Korea | Thousands of tons/year | Hundreds of thousands of tons/year |
| 1990s | Started exporting to China, Korea, and Taiwan | Approximately 1 million tons/year (1999) | Approximately 5 million tons/year (1999) |
| 2000s | Exports to China surge | Approximately 4 million tons/year (2005) | Approximately 8 million tons/year (2008) *The largest ever |
| 2010s | Dispersed to Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Malaysia, etc.) | Approximately 3 to 4 million tons/year | Approximately 7 to 8 million tons/year |
| 2020s | Main export destinations are South Korea, Vietnam and Taiwan | Approximately 2.5 to 3 million tons/year (2023) | Approximately 5.04 million tons/year (2023) |
In the next section,let us look back chronologically at the progress of resource recycling, focusing on waste paper, metals, used cooking oil, etc., with a focus on people.
History of resource circulation along with the people
Prewar to wartime (until 1945): Metals as “requisitioned resources”
In the late 1930s, Japan entered a wartime regime, and people were expected to contribute to the war effort in every aspect of their lives. Metal resources were considered valuable military supplies, and therefore a “Metal Donation Campaign” was launched across the country. Temple bells, bronze statues on street corners, household pots, and other items were requisitioned and sent to munitions factories.
During this time, mobilized Korean and Chinese workers were employed in factories and demolition sites. These were not done voluntarily, but through forced deportation and conscription. It was hard work, and many people lost their lives in the harsh working conditions.
After the war (1945-1950s): Re-use of materials in the midst of chaos
Immediately after World War II, Japanese society suffered from a shortage of materials, and people scavenged metal and scraps of cloth from the ruins to make a living. Under these circumstances, waste collection began, mainly in urban areas. At the time, there was almost no formal system or corporate management, and resource collection and recycling was undertaken by a variety of people in what could be called “informal recycling.” For people who would later run waste collection businesses, the activities of this period marked the beginning of their livelihood.
High economic growth period (1950s-1970s): The recycling industry grows together with Korean workers
After the 1950s, the Japanese economy entered a period of high growth. Behind the scenes, a large amount of waste materials was generated from construction sites and factories, and businesses that collected and recycled the materials began to emerge. Around this time, it has become common to see people from the Korean Peninsula running waste collection businesses in urban areas.
Some of these companies expanded as family-run businesses and were passed down to the second and third generations. Although the industry faced discrimination and prejudice at the time, it gradually established itself as a presence that supported the circulation of goods in local communities.
1980s-1990s: Influx of Japanese descendants and emergence of a new foreign workforce
In the late 1980s, during the so-called bubble economy, Japan experienced a serious labor shortage. Japanese Brazilians and Peruvians came to Japan to work as factory workers, and some also began working in resource recovery and demolition sites.
In 1993, the Foreign Technical Intern Training Program was established, and young people from countries like China, Vietnam and the Philippines began coming to Japan as trainees. Under the program, though they were primarily employed in manufacturing and construction, later they were also employed in resource recovery and intermediate processing.
Furthermore, in the 1990s, as manufacturing grew in Asian countries such as China, Korea, and Taiwan, recycled materials that were surplus in Japan began to take on value as export goods. For example, a network of Koreans and North Koreans in Japan with strong ties to Korea built a route to export metal scrap to Korean electric furnace manufacturers. In trade with China, bilingual Chinese-speaking personnel acted as a go-between, expanding the business by cooperating with trading companies, logistics, and port-related personnel.
2000s to early 2010s: Recycling becomes institutionalized and industrialized
In the 2000s, various recycling-related laws, such as the Home Appliance Recycling Law and the Food Recycling Law, were enacted. Consequently, resource circulation was “institutionalized.” Large companies and local governments also became involved, and processing facilities became larger and more advanced.
On the other hand, much of the on-site work continues to be done by elderly and foreign workers.The system is structured so that technical intern trainees play an important role in tasks such as sorting and separation.
Furthermore, as China and other countries around the world began to pay increasing attention to Japan’s resource procurement capabilities, exports of waste paper and plastic from Japan to other countries expanded.
Late 2010s to present: International affairs and a return to domestic processing
In 2018, China implemented the “National Sword Policy” and restricted the import of recyclable waste from overseas, which accelerated the movement toward “domestic resource circulation” in Japan as well.
From this time on,Scrap metal trade with Korea began to attract attention. High-quality scrap metal is exported from Japan to Korea, and Korean electric furnace manufacturers (e.g. Dongkuk Steel Mill, etc.) utilize it. Non-ferrous scrap, especially copper and iron, has a high affinity with Korea’s smelting and refining technology, and a mutually complementary relationship has been built over the years.Even today, South Korea and Taiwan continue to import high-quality scrap iron and waste paper from Japan as important resources, and they place great importance on the development of sorting, compression, and quality certification.
In addition, with the announcement of China’s “National Sword Policy,” export destinations from Japan shifted rapidly to Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia. However, environmental impacts and poor working conditions became problems in those countries, and the nature of “sustainable trade” began to be questioned. Around this time, the importance of quality control and traceability increased in Japan, and exporters began to be required to take on new skills and responsibilities.
On the other hand, for foreign workers, the “Specified Skills System” was established in 2019.The introduction of this system has made it possible to accept more long-term, specialized human resources. However, the resource recycling industry is not yet covered by this system, and it is expected that the system will be expanded in the future.
Conclusion: To the people who have supported us behind the scenes
Japan’s resource recycling system has always been supported by people living on the margins of society: foreigners in Japan, technical intern trainees, elderly workers – it is no exaggeration to say that without their existence, modern recycling society would not have been possible. Furthermore, resource circulation flows occur both domestically and globally, and it can be said that a greater variety of people, including those with different nationalities and cultural backgrounds, are involved in the circulation of recycled materials produced in Japan.
Social Bridge is currently working as a partner in Japan with KOREC, a Korean talent introduction and training agency. KOREC is a specialized agency that acts as a bridge between young Koreans and Japanese companies. Particularly, under the partnership with KOREC, Social Bridge focuses on introducing Korean talent to companies in Japan that are involved in scrap trade and resource recycling businesses.
Japan has had a long-standing partnership with South Korea in resource trading, particularly in scrap metal, historically. We believe that connecting Korean talent on the ground with Japanese companies will accelerate international collaboration in the circular economy.
With the mind “creating a circular economy through people”, Social Bridge would like to continue to be on the same side with the people in this field and address future social issues.
▶︎ Learn more about KOREC here
<List of references and sources>
■ Books, papers, and reports
1. Masatetsu Yorimitsu (2018) “Historical Developments in the Issues of Foreign Workers in Japan and Future Challenges” Doctoral Dissertation, Graduate School of Social Sciences, Hitotsubashi University
2. Hiromasa Mori and Tetsuki Tamura (2002) “Trends in Research on the Issues of Foreign Workers in Japan,” Journal of the Faculty of Sociology, Kansai University, Vol. 33, No. 1
3. Tadashi Furusho (2013) “Ashio Copper Mine, Forced Conscription of Koreans and Postwar Settlement” Akashi Shoten
4. Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (2009) “Trends in employment and acceptance of foreign workers” Survey report by the Japan Institute for Labor Policy and Training
5. Takashi Moriya (2018) “Employment issues and measures to improve foreign workers in Japan” Fukuoka International University Journal Vol. 33 No. 1
■ Web articles and research materials (viewed June 2025)
6. Dentsu (2020) “3rd Consumer Survey on SDGs”
8. Rengo Research Institute (2015) “Basic Data on Foreign Workers”
9. World Bank World Integrated Trade Solution (WITS)
10. Japan Paper Association, “Import and Export Statistics of Paper and Paperboard”
12. Argus Media, “Japanese scrap exports surge in April” (May 2025)
13. Japan Steel Recycling Association (JISRA) “Trends in Supply and Demand of Steel Scrap”