In the spring of 2002, 10 years after the enactment of the Basic Environment Law, the "Basic Law for Establishing a Recycling-based Society" and a series of recycling-related laws were being developed, and Japan as a whole was steering the country away from "mass disposal. In urban areas, household waste was being sorted and companies were beginning to publish "environmental reports. However, many issues remained unresolved in remote areas of the Japanese archipelago.

In the spring of 2002, 10 years after the enactment of the Basic Environment Law, the "Basic Law for Establishing a Recycling-based Society" and a series of recycling-related laws were being developed, and Japan as a whole was steering the country away from "mass disposal. In urban areas, household waste was being sorted and companies were beginning to publish "environmental reports. However, many issues remained unresolved in remote areas of the Japanese archipelago.

On Yakushima Island, a sustainable energy system was already in operation, utilizing the steep terrain and abundant water resources to generate 80% of its electricity from hydroelectric power. At a town-run facility, raw garbage, human waste, and livestock manure were composted and recycled for use on local farmland. Meanwhile, on Okinoerabu Island, a steady practice had begun to convert organic waste generated on the island into compost, which was used on 25% of the farmland.

However, there were still only a handful of such examples. For example, the cost of recycling on Amami Oshima was said to be more than 8,000 yen for the collection and transportation of a single refrigerator, placing a serious financial burden on the islanders. The local government was faced with a headache and had to make a choice: "Should the waste be disposed of on the island?" or "Should it be transported and disposed of on the mainland? Particularly controversial was "which island to set up a recycling facility on.

In January 2002, island chiefs gathered together at a conference of remote islands in Kagoshima Prefecture. The mayor of Tokunoshima spoke. If we build a facility on our island, we will have to accept waste from other islands as well. That would not be fair, would it? The Kikai Island councilor responded, "But if we don't build somewhere else, we will have to spend money on transportation. But if we don't build a facility somewhere else, the transportation costs will only increase. If we don't make a move while subsidies are available, no one will benefit.

In the midst of this situation, the government was about to extend the "Remote Islands Promotion Law" and was planning to make the "establishment of a recycling-oriented society" a pillar of the next revision of the law. The Remote Islands Promotion Law was enacted in 1953 as a time-limited legislation to address the problems unique to remote islands, such as isolation surrounded by the sea, difficulties in transporting goods, and the aging of the population, and was about to expire at the end of fiscal 2002. With the new extension of the law, emphasis was being placed not only on the development of infrastructure, but also on the creation of an environmentally harmonious living infrastructure.

On Hachijojima, a deposit system for can collection was proving to be very successful. The island's women's association proudly states, "If we can get a 5 yen refund, even the children will cooperate. On Amauri Island, the islanders have succeeded in reducing the amount of incinerated garbage by 85% by composting food waste.

However, the reality is still harsh. Even if they have the facilities, low operation rates impose maintenance costs, and the sudden influx of garbage generated by tourists has thrown a wrench in the works. Some were trying to attract companies to the islands in an effort to introduce "environmental business," but a number of unprofitable islands withdrew from the market.

Still, the islanders were united in their efforts. We must do this for the future," and "We cannot leave it to others. Thus, while taking into account the circumstances of each island, discussions between the local government and residents deepened, and gradually a new vision of a "recycling-oriented society for each region" began to emerge.

If Suginami's plastic bag tax was an attempt to promote behavioral change in the city, composting and recycling on the remote islands was a challenge that forced a rethinking of daily life itself. In a place separated by a vast ocean, the "wisdom of circulation" for living in harmony with nature was quietly taking root.