WHAT WILL I LEARN?

Understand the key drivers of the Japanese Packaging Industry:

MARKET FORCES
Japan’s market forces are as complex as a zen poem; seemingly simple demographic data and production statistics reveal layers of depth which have resulted in creative industrial solutions in material technology, structural and graphic design to meet future consumer demand – and in the most cost effective manner.
- This report looks behind the statistics to reveal the underlying motivation behind Japan’s new packaging technologies.

LEGISLATING THE HIGHEST RECYCLING RATE WORLD WIDE  
Japan’s legislative framework comprises no less than five basic environmental laws which combine to require the mandatory sorting, collection and recycling of post consumer waste.
A complex system of fees and quotas are imposed on the packaging supply chain at source to fund post consumer collection. Calculated by weight and volume the complex scale of charges has resulted in unique technological developments in response: Package light-weighting and package reduction not only cut transport costs, but results in reduced fees.
- This report details and discusses the core packaging provisions of each of Japan’s five environmental legislative instruments, their success rates (or otherwise) including interviews with key industry players.

DEMOGRAPHICS TRENDS & A NEW DESIGN MOVEMENT
Changing demographics in Japanese society mean that the population is ageing rapidly, resulting in dramatic changes in lifestyles and consumer expectation.
UNIVERSAL DESIGN (UD) is a new revolutionary movement to promote a different way of thinking about the functionality of the package builds accessibility and user-convenience into the initial concept: easy opening for the elderly yet child proof, clearly labeled instructions for eyesight impaired yet hold shelf appeal, pre-cooked meals in retortable or mircrowavable pouches are self-venting to release steam and prevent scalding.
This new UD movement has been adopted by ALL of the major packaging producers and brand owners in Japan collaborating to develop new active intelligent packaging materials, substrates and closures.
This report analyses the impact of UD and includes practical examples of new packaging formats which have found success in the market as a result of UD.

THE CORPORATE CULTURE - BEYOND CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Until very recently Japanese workers were considered to have an ‘iron rice-bowl’ – redundancies and lay-offs were unheard of as the Corporation took paternal responsibility as part of the ‘social contract’.

An understanding of the three types of Japanese corporations, their roots in the pre-war zaibatsu, the linkages and informal relationships between businesses in the packaging supply chain gives an insight into the transformation from traditional Japanese business structures and practices to modern day CSR policies.

The concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) may be a familiar in many western companies, however Japanese collective culture places the CSR emphasis on ‘Social Responsibility’ with the Corporation as enabler.

One example would be the belief in ‘safety before work’ – not a mistranslation but the belief that it is in the collective interest of society that a worker remain safe outside the workplace and that it is the corporation’s responsibility to enable and facilitate this.
- This report examines the practical role played by CSR in the packaging industry and how it relates to the development of UD packaging, technology development, sustainability, and the relationship with government and legislation.

COMPANY PROFILES
A series of detailed company profiles focused on the key innovators of the Japanese packaging sector.
Selected for their leading roles as trendsetters in the development of packaging - material, format, application, equipment manufacture and technology - not merely on company size or revenue.
These are the companies to watch closely.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

          Overview: Japanese Packaging Industry
    - Introduction
-Structure
    - Packaging Statistics & Commentary
•    Chart: Shipment Value of Packaging Materials & Containers (2002 – 07)
•    Chart: Shipment Volume of Packaging Materials & Containers (2002 – 07)
•    Chart: Packaging Machinery Production Volume (2007)
•    Chart: Packaging Machinery Production Value (2007)
•    Chart: % Breakdown of Packaging Materials in Shipment Value & Volume (2007)
•    Table: Breakdown in Shipment Value of Packaging Materials & Containers (2007)
•    Table: Breakdown in Shipment Volume of Packaging Materials & Containers
•    Table: Production Quantity, Type & Value of Packaging Machinery (2004- 2007)
•    Table: PET Bottle Beverage Volume

O Key Drivers
LEGISLATING THE HIGHEST RECYCLING RATE WORLD WIDE  
Impact of Environmental Legislation
-    Basic Environment Law
-    Waste Management and Public Cleansing Law
-    Law for Promoting of Effective Use of Resources
-    Law for promotion of sorted collection and recycling of containers and packaging
-    Law Concerning the Promotion of Procurement of Eco-friendly Goods and Services by the State and Other Entities
-    Fundamental Plan for Establishing a Sound Material-Cycle Society
Chart: Recycling Process Flow
Chart: Packaging Recovery Process
Table: Recycling Targets By Container Format
Chart: The Recycling Fee Process
Table: Recycling Fee Structures


MARKET FORCES
Demographics
•    Chart: Generational trends in Japanese Society
•    Table: Consumer expectation: New elderly homemakers/ New young homemakers
Changing Consumer Purchasing Patterns
Lifestyle changes and packaging
Concerns about food security
Responsive brand strategies of manufacturers and packaging
Cultural Expectations - The first bite is with the eye
Packaging and brand establishment (with photographs)
-    Colour
-    Texture
-    Shape
The Changing Retail Environment


UD: A NEW DESIGN MOVEMENT
What is Universal Design?
What is the thought /design process
-    Photographic Examples: Labelling, Closures, New Materials
Zen and the Art of Product Packaging

THE CORPORATE CULTURE - BEYOND CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Corporate Structures in Japan
Zaibatsu and current relationships
- Chart: Corporate relationships in packaging
Corporate Social Responsibility
The social compact
Stakeholder dialogue
Compliance & Ethics
Certification
The Wider community
Packaging and CSR

COMPANY PROFILES
Company profile details:
1.    Name of company
2.    Corporate Headquarters address and contact details
3.    Divisions
4.    Significant Dates: establishment, mergers etc
5.    Corporate officers (CEO, President etc)
6.    Employee headcount
7.    International Operations
8.    Main manufacturing facilities & sales offices
9.    Selected financial data
10.    Main products and markets
11.    Corporate philosophy & CSR activities
12.    Environmental policies