Kakamigahara City Initiates Collaboration with Oikura for Reuse Project Before Environment Month

Kakamigahara's Partnership with Oikura for Sustainable Solutions

As June approaches, marking Environment Month, Kakamigahara City in Gifu Prefecture is embarking on an exciting initiative to foster a more sustainable local community. The city, under the leadership of Mayor Kenji Asano, has entered into a collaboration with Market Enterprise Co., Ltd. This partnership aims to establish a reuse project focused on addressing local challenges and promoting environmental sustainability through the use of Oikura, a reuse platform operated by Market Enterprise.

The Background of the Initiative

Historically, Kakamigahara City has been proactive in providing citizens with information regarding the transfer of unwanted items, which is crucial for promoting reuse. However, the city identified a significant issue: many reusable items were being discarded as waste. To tackle this problem, the city sought new strategies that could raise awareness among the residents and encourage them to participate in reuse activities. On the other hand, Market Enterprise has been dedicated to fostering a sustainable society through its online reuse business while actively participating in initiatives like the “SDGs Public-Private Partnership for Regional Revitalization.” Through discussions, both parties identified a shared desire to promote a circular economy, thus leading to the establishment of this collaboration using the Oikura platform.

What is Oikura?

Oikura is a reuse platform developed by Market Enterprise that facilitates the sale of unwanted items. Users who want to sell their items can request a valuation through the Oikura platform, which sends out a bulk assessment request to affiliated reuse shops nationwide, allowing users to compare the offers they receive swiftly and conveniently. Approximately 1.3 million people have utilized the Oikura platform as of June 2024, appreciating its efficient and user-friendly service.

Addressing Kakamigahara's Challenges

Kakamigahara City manages bulky waste collection monthly at designated collection points. However, citizens, especially the elderly, voiced concerns over the difficulty of transporting larger items to these stations. To address this, Oikura provides a convenient home visit service, enabling easy sell-offs of heavyweight goods and capitalizing on a user-friendly approach to decluttering. Additionally, even household appliances like refrigerators and washing machines, which are regulated under recycling laws and not collected by the city, can potentially be valued for resale if still functional. This service not only eases the selling process but can also facilitate transactions as quickly as the same day a request is made—at no cost to the city or its residents.

Future Prospects

The collaboration will officially launch on May 27, 2025, at 12:30 PM, with detailed information about Oikura available on Kakamigahara City’s official website, allowing residents to make direct bulk assessment requests. This collaboration is expected to invigorate the secondary market and contribute to the realization of a circular society while simultaneously reducing the waste disposal quantity and associated costs for the local government. As citizens become more aware of the ease of reusing unwanted items instead of discarding them, the initiative aims to expand the public’s options for waste disposal and address the evolving demands for reuse services.

Moreover, it looks to foster a shift in the community's perspective toward reuse practices, ultimately promoting a more circular economy in Kakamigahara. This alliance between public and private sectors is a crucial step towards resolving both social and economic challenges in the journey towards building a sustainable society.

About Kakamigahara City

Kakamigahara City is centrally located in Japan, spanning 15.5 kilometers east to west and 10.1 kilometers north to south. Flanked by the Kiso River to the south and neighboring cities and towns, Kakamigahara is just a short distance from Gifu City and Nagoya City, making it a popular residential area for those working in these urban centers. As of April 1, 2025, the city has a population of 143,929 across approximately 63,559 households and covers an area of 87.81 square kilometers.

- Website: Kakamigahara City

About Market Enterprise

Founded in 2006, Market Enterprise is focused on online reuse business while expanding into media and mobile communications. With a vision of realizing a sustainable society, the company has steadily grown. It went public on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in June 2015 and transitioned to the first section in February 2021. The number of users of its reuse services reached 9.4 million, with 254 municipalities adopting the Oikura service nationwide, enabling a comprehensive approach to environmental stewardship and community service.