Echizen City and Market Enterprise Forge New Collaboration for Sustainable Reuse Initiative

New Collaboration for Sustainable Reuse in Fukui Prefecture

On June 25, 2026, a partnership agreement was established among Echizen City, Minami-Echizen Town, Ikeda Town, and Market Enterprise Corporation, based in Chuo Ward, Tokyo. This collaboration aims to tackle community issues and pave the way for a circular economy through a reuse initiative. The project revolves around Market Enterprise’s reuse platform "Oikura," designed to facilitate the reallocation of unwanted items rather than discarding them. This alliance not only seeks to minimize waste in these local municipalities but also aspires to cultivate a cooperative relationship between public and private sectors driving towards a sustainable society.

Background and Rationale

The motivation behind this partnership is bolstered by the Environment Ministry's "Roadmap for Promoting Reuse," which sets ambitious targets for achieving a 50% reuse rate and enlisting approximately 600 municipalities in collaborative initiatives by 2030. As part of this initiative, there is a growing demand to embed reuse into everyday lifestyles as a societal norm. However, Echizen City, Minami-Echizen Town, and Ikeda Town have recognized challenges posed by rising garbage disposal costs and an increasing elderly population who find it increasingly difficult to manage bulky waste disposals. Furthermore, there is a need for greater awareness and advocacy regarding reuse practices among residents, hence the exploration of new reuse strategies.

Amid this landscape, Market Enterprise, having positioned itself as a leading online reuse business since its inception in 2006, has actively participated in various projects advocating for sustainable practices. Market Enterprise has consistently pushed for creating a sustainable society while being part of the "Regional Revitalization SDGs Public-Private Partnership Platform" among other initiatives. The alignment of goals regarding promoting reuse and combating climate change paved the way for this four-way collaboration involving Echizen City, Minami-Echizen Town, Ikeda Town, and Market Enterprise.

Objectives of the Collaboration Agreement

This partnership focuses on several key areas of cooperation:

- Facilitating reuse activities and fostering a circular economy.
- Raising awareness and advocacy for environmental conservation linked to the establishment of a circular society.
- Jointly promoting collaborative efforts towards environmental conservation.
- Undertaking other initiatives that serve the objectives outlined in this agreement as agreed upon by the respective municipalities and Market Enterprise.

Future Prospects

By June 25, 2026, vital information about "Oikura" will be available on the official websites of the involved municipalities, allowing residents to submit bulk assessment requests for unwanted items directly. The "Oikura" service can even visit homes to assist in collecting items, ensuring even heavy or large objects can be easily sold. Reusable appliances subject to the Home Appliance Recycling Law, such as refrigerators and washing machines, can also be evaluated for purchase. Once assessed through "Oikura," transactions could potentially be completed within the same day. Notably, residents can benefit from this service without any financial burden on the municipalities.

This initiative aims to reinvigorate the secondary market while fostering a circular economy and contributing to reduction in waste disposal both in terms of volume and associated costs faced by municipalities. By encouraging residents to recognize that their options extend beyond disposal to reuse, the program plans to meet the diversified needs of waste management. A change in residents' mindset towards reuse and environmental sustainability is anticipated as a result of this collaboration. Ultimately, this public-private cooperation reflects a collective ambition for sustainable community development and emphasizes addressing challenges from both social and economic perspectives in the pursuit of a robust circular economy.

More Information About “Oikura”

Residents can find more details through the following official sites:

About Market Enterprise Corporation

Established in 2006, Market Enterprise operates mainly in the reuse business and runs various other ventures, including mobile communication and media services. Its core vision aims at creating sustainable societies through optimization. The company is publicly traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and has continuously expanded its reuse services, attracting around 9.4 million users. With its services now extended to Echizen City, Minami-Echizen Town, and Ikeda Town, the number of municipalities utilizing "Oikura" has reached 335 nationwide.

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