Japan Publishes Calculation Coefficients for Mandatory Recycling Volumes 
On March 30, 2026, the Japanese government published the various coefficients required to calculate the mandatory recycling volume stipulated under the Act on the Promotion of Sorted Collection and Recycling of Containers and Packaging (the Containers and Packaging Recycling Act). The mandatory recycling volume is defined as the amount of container and packaging waste that specified business entities must recycle from the waste generated through the sale or distribution of their products.
This obligation applies to specified container‑using business entities, specified container‑manufacturing business entities, and specified packaging business entities. The coefficients required for calculating the mandatory recycling volume consist of the following ten items and are published through relevant regulations and ministerial ordinances:
- Business‑sector ratio for specified container‑using and specified packaging‑using business entities
- Business‑sector ratio for specified container‑manufacturing business entities
- Specified container ratio
- Industry‑specific ratio
- Industry‑specific ratio for specified container‑using business entities
- Industry‑specific projected total waste generation for specified container‑using business entities
- Responsibility ratio for specified business entities
- Total mandatory recycling volume
- Industry‑specific projected total waste generation for specified container‑manufacturing business entities
- Projected total waste generation for specified packaging‑using business entities
These coefficients were published in the Official Gazette on March 30, 2026, through the following notices:
- Ministerial Ordinance Partially Amending the Enforcement Regulations of the Act on the Promotion of Sorted Collection and Recycling of Containers and Packaging (item 1 above)
https://www.kanpo.go.jp/20260330/20260330g00073/20260330g000730231f.html - Ministerial Ordinance Partially Amending the Ordinance on the Recycling of Designated Sorted‑Collection‑Compliant Materials by Specified Container‑Manufacturing Business Entities (item 2 above)
https://www.kanpo.go.jp/20260330/20260330g00073/20260330g000730231f.html - Notice Partially Amending the Ratios Specified by the Competent Minister under Article 11, Paragraph 2, Item 1 of the Act on the Promotion of Sorted Collection and Recycling of Containers and Packaging (item 3 above)
https://www.kanpo.go.jp/20260330/20260330g00073/20260330g000730318f.html - Notice Partially Amending the Ratios Specified by the Competent Minister under Article 11, Paragraph 2, Item 2(a) of the Act on the Promotion of Sorted Collection and Recycling of Containers and Packaging (item 4 above)
https://www.kanpo.go.jp/20260330/20260330g00073/20260330g000730319f.html - Notice Partially Amending the Ratios Specified by the Competent Minister under Article 11, Paragraph 2, Item 2(b) of the Act on the Promotion of Sorted Collection and Recycling of Containers and Packaging (item 5 above)
https://www.kanpo.go.jp/20260330/20260330g00073/20260330g000730321f.html - Notice Partially Amending the Ratios Specified by the Competent Minister under Article 11, Paragraph 2, Item 2(d) of the Act on the Promotion of Sorted Collection and Recycling of Containers and Packaging (item 6 above)
https://www.kanpo.go.jp/20260330/20260330g00073/20260330g000730324f.html](https://www.kanpo.go.jp/20260330/20260330g00073/20260330g000730324f.html) - Notice Partially Amending the Responsibility Ratios for Specified Business Entities (item 7 above)
https://www.kanpo.go.jp/20260330/20260330g00073/20260330g000730326f.html - Notice Partially Amending the Mandatory Recycling Volume (item 8 above)
https://www.kanpo.go.jp/20260330/20260330g00073/20260330g000730327f.html - Notice Partially Amending the Volumes Specified by the Competent Minister under Article 12, Paragraph 2, Item 2(d) of the Act on the Promotion of Sorted Collection and Recycling of Containers and Packaging (item 9 above)
https://www.kanpo.go.jp/20260330/20260330g00073/20260330g000730333f.html](https://www.kanpo.go.jp/20260330/20260330g00073/20260330g000730333f.html) - Notice Partially Amending the Volumes Specified by the Competent Minister under Article 13, Paragraph 2, Item 3 of the Act on the Promotion of Sorted Collection and Recycling of Containers and Packaging (item 10 above)
https://www.kanpo.go.jp/20260330/20260330g00073/20260330g000730328f.html
In addition, a public comment period for these amendments was conducted from October 27 to November 26, 2025, and the results have also been published:
Results of the Public Comment Process on the Draft Ministerial Ordinance Partially Amending the Enforcement Regulations of the Act on the Promotion of Sorted Collection and Recycling of Containers and Packaging
https://public-comment.e-gov.go.jp/pcm/detail?CLASSNAME=PCMMSTDETAIL&Mode=0&bMode=1&bScreen=Pcm1040&id=595125112](https://public-comment.e-gov.go.jp/pcm/detail?CLASSNAME=PCMMSTDETAIL&Mode=0&bMode=1&bScreen=Pcm1040&id=595125112
