TOKYO, Feb 22: The Japanese government plans to expand the market for used goods to around 4.6 trillion yen ($29.7 bllion) in 2030, up 32 percent from 2024, to curb waste and reduce carbon dioxide emissions, a government source said.
The government will draw up guidelines by fiscal 2027 to outline requirements for business operators, following cases in which consumers have received poor-quality items via flea market apps. It will also urge local governments to utilize secondhand items, the source said.
The measures to promote used goods will be compiled in a road map to be drawn up by the Environment Ministry as early as March, the source said.
The market, calculated based on annual spending on 22 categories of used goods including books and home appliances purchased via online auctions and secondhand retailers, has seen annual growth of 1 percent in recent years, so a sharp expansion would be required to achieve the government target.
Specific measures will include setting up a system to evaluate secondhand retailers and operators of flea market apps in line with the guidelines to support the activities of highly rated businesses.
The government also plans to promote services to connect operators with elderly people wishing to sort their belongings to facilitate the collection of unnecessary items.
The government will examine factors hindering the purchase of used goods by municipalities and revise rules on procuring environmentally friendly products, the source said.
It is also considering holding campaigns to encourage purchases of used goods during the year-end, when many people clean up their homes, and the moving season in spring.
