Osaka's Sennan City Teams Up with Market Enterprise for Reusables Initiative

Sennan City Collaborates with Market Enterprise for Sustainability

In June 2025, Sennan City in Osaka Prefecture, led by Mayor Yuma Yamamoto, announced a collaboration with Market Enterprise, located in Tokyo's Chuo Ward, to enhance its reusable goods initiatives through the Oikura platform. This partnership aims to address community challenges by developing a system that facilitates the reuse of unwanted items, thus contributing to waste reduction and the establishment of a circular economy within the region.

Background and Objectives

Sennan City has been proactive in promoting waste reduction and the exchange of unwanted items among its residents. However, many reusable items have been found among the waste sent to landfills, alongside issues related to illegal dumping. To tackle these challenges, the city sought to introduce innovative reuse initiatives that would raise awareness and educate citizens. Market Enterprise, known for its focus on sustainable practices, expressed a desire to collaborate with Sennan City on initiatives aimed at fostering a circular economy. This collaboration was born out of a shared vision to promote sustainability and optimize resource management within the community.

The Oikura Platform

Oikura, operated by Market Enterprise, serves as a comprehensive reuse platform. Users wishing to sell unwanted items can easily request assessments through Oikura, which aggregates evaluations from numerous participating reuse shops across the nation, allowing users to compare offers. As of June 2024, approximately 1.3 million individuals have utilized the Oikura service, which simplifies the resale process by facilitating the comparison of buyback prices in a single request.

Addressing Challenges in Sennan City

Currently, residents must transport bulky or heavy items to designated collection points for disposal. The Oikura platform alleviates this burden by offering on-site visits for appraisals and pickups of large items, making the selling process significantly more convenient. Additionally, the platform allows for the potential buyback of appliances like refrigerators and washing machines, which are typically not collected by the city but may still hold value if reused. Users can often complete transactions on the same day they submit their requests for assessment.

Next Steps

The collaboration between Sennan City and Oikura will officially commence on June 2nd, 2025, with information being made available on the Sennan City website, enabling residents to access a consolidated appraisal service for unwanted items. This partnership is expected to enhance secondary market activity, reduce overall waste generation, and even lower the city's waste management costs. By promoting the idea of reusing items rather than discarding them, the initiative encourages residents to see new disposal options. Furthermore, it aims to foster a change in mindset regarding reuse, contributing to the development of a circular economy in the community.

Sennan City Overview

Located approximately 40 to 50 kilometers from the heart of Osaka, Sennan City boasts a rich environment with access to both the ocean and mountainous areas. The city encompasses a third of Kansai International Airport and offers excellent transportation links via rail and highways. With a population of approximately 57,917 and over 26,761 households, Sennan City is developing various commercial enterprises and facilities, including shopping centers and manufacturing companies.

About Market Enterprise

Founded in 2006, Market Enterprise has continuously grown by focusing on online reuse businesses while also expanding into media and mobile communication services. The company operates on a vision to create a sustainable society through optimized resource management. After listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in 2015, it transitioned to the Prime Market in April 2022. Furthermore, Market Enterprise's reuse services, including Oikura, have reached over 9.4 million users as of this announcement. With the inclusion of Sennan City's Oikura initiative, the total number of municipalities adopting this platform has reached 257 nationwide.

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