Reuse Partnerships with Local Governments Exceed 300 Nationwide! Jimoty Accelerates Regional Waste Reduction

Jimoty, Inc. (Headquarters: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Takahiro Kato), operator of the local information site "Jimoty," has announced that the number of reuse partnership agreements with local governments nationwide has exceeded 300.

As the Ministry of the Environment sets a target of doubling the number of municipalities partnering with reuse businesses to 600 by 2030, Jimoty is acting as a leader in this space, accelerating the construction of "infrastructure for a circular society" in collaboration with local governments across Japan.

■ Social Issues Surrounding Japan's Waste Problem

Currently, the annual collection volume of household bulky waste in Japan reaches approximately 860,000 tons, while combustible and non-combustible clothing waste amounts to approximately 480,000 tons. Together, this means approximately 1.34 million tons of resources are discarded annually despite still being usable. Many items brought to municipal centers as bulky waste or clothing still have sufficient utility. Disposing of these items via incineration or landfill not only strains municipal budgets but also puts immense burden on the Earth's environment, such as CO2 emissions, necessitating an urgent shift from "disposal" to "reuse."

According to the latest survey results from the Ministry of the Environment (announced March 27, 2026), tax money spent on waste incineration reaches approximately 2.4489 trillion yen annually, with the treatment cost per citizen being 19,700 yen (which has been generally on an upward trend since fiscal 2015). With approximately 67% of municipalities nationwide having introduced fees for household waste, the importance of waste reduction is at an all-time high.

■ The "Three Partnership Schemes" between Jimoty and Local Governments

Jimoty achieves waste reduction not only by providing web services but also by collaborating with municipalities through unique mechanisms that integrate digital and physical channels.

1. Public-Private Reuse Hubs "Jimoty Spots": These are reuse hubs where local residents can exchange "items that are still usable but no longer needed." These hubs handle a wide range of "still usable" items that are often discarded due to low resale value, including items not purchased by recycling shops and furniture that incurs high delivery costs.

2. Reuse of Municipally Collected Items: Municipalities select items that can be reused from bulky waste collected, list them on a dedicated page on Jimoty, and facilitate matching with local residents.

3. Reuse Awareness and Educational Activities: Municipalities introduce Jimoty through booklets and websites, prompting residents to search for transfer recipients themselves by suggesting "giving away" items as an option before discarding them.

■ Implementation Case Studies: Overwhelming Waste Reduction and Resident Satisfaction

1. Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture
The "Jimoty Spot Kawasaki Sugao Store" opened in April 2024. For the year 2025, it is estimated to have achieved a waste reduction effect of approximately 638 tons and a reduction in bulky waste disposal costs of 67 million yen.

Results (Year 2025): Reuse weight: approx. 638 tons, disposal cost savings: approx. 67 million yen, reuse rate: 94%, number of items transferred: 176,874.

(Mr. Hagiwara, Reduction Promotion Section, Environment Bureau, Kawasaki City): "We often receive inquiries from citizens saying, 'It's a waste to throw this away, I want to reuse it.' As a municipality, we are now able to provide means to accommodate these warm feelings of 'mottainai' instead of simply saying 'we cannot.' Teachers at nearby elementary schools have also told us they want to use Jimoty Spots in their waste reduction classes, making them useful teaching materials for next-generation environmental education."

2. Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture
Reusable items picked up from those brought to clean centers are listed on the city's official account and provided to citizens for free via lottery. From the start in January 2023 to the end of January 2026, over 1,000 items have been transferred over approximately three years.

Results (Jan 2023–Jan 2026): Number of transfers: 1,468.

(Sakai City Clean Center Staff): "We utilize Jimoty because items can be handed over for free. If the city were to sell unneeded items, the hurdles would be very high, such as product warranties, administrative tasks, and accounting procedures. With this approach, however, we can hand them directly to citizens while minimizing administrative burden. With the mindset that 'if we overlook them, they are waste, but if we pick them up, they are treasure,' we handle these items the moment they arrive."

■ Waste Reduction Results Nationwide and Future Outlook

In 2025 alone, a total of approximately 1.4 million items were reused at Jimoty Spot hubs nationwide, generating a waste reduction effect of approximately 4,300 tons.