[Circular Economy Hub] Designing Circular Futures from Asia. Insights from the Latest Circular Economy Trends and Practices in Taiwan and Japan

Circular Economy Hub, an online media platform dedicated to the circular economy operated by Harch, held an event titled “Designing Circular Futures from Asia. Insights from the Latest Circular Economy Trends and Practices in Taiwan and Japan?” on June 23, in collaboration with Glass Rock and REnato Lab.

We participate as a co-creation partner of Glass Rock – Social Action Community – a hub for cross-sector collaboration to solve social challenges. This event was organized in collaboration with Glass Rock.

As climate change, biodiversity loss, and increasing resource-related risks and conflicts continue to emerge globally, the transition toward a circular economy has become more urgent than ever.

While the EU and European countries have taken the lead in circular economy policy, Western-centric approaches are reaching their limits. The narrative around the future of circular economy is diversifying, drawing greater attention to the unique practices emerging from Asia, including Japan and Taiwan. How can Asia contribute to the global circular transition and design a circular future rooted in its own cultural context?

At Circular Economy Hub, we’ve continued to promote Japan-Taiwan exchange programs around the theme of circular design—including our Taiwan tour program, Repair Our Futures. Through these interactions, we’ve come to recognize that both countries have valuable practices from which they can mutually learn and be inspired.

With the visit to Japan by Aining Ouyang, CEO of Taiwan’s leading circular design firm REnato Lab, we organized this special event to learn from one another and explore how we might shape a circular future from Asia together.

During the Taiwan tour program “Repair Our Futures” at the REnato Lab office. Aining Ouyang is on the right.｜Photo by Hirohisa Kojima

Event topics

• Circular economy policies, corporate trends, and case studies in Taiwan and Japan
• Global hot topics: Digital Product Passports (DPP), Circular Design, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), ISO standards, Circularity assessment, and Circular Accounting

Recommended for

• Anyone interested in the latest circular economy trends in Taiwan and Japan
• Those looking to explore future circular societies rooted in Asian perspectives
• Professionals and researchers intrigued by Taiwan’s circular design practices
• People seeking insight into global circular economy hot topics

Guest speaker

Aining Ouyang REnato lab CEO

Aining Ouyang is the CEO of REnato lab. She joined the team in 2016 and has been dedicated to helping businesses achieve resource circulation and carbon reduction. Aining is one of the primary authors of “Circular Design Guidebook for the Electronic, Electrical and Appliance Industries” (2020) and “Circular Economy Guidebook for Manufacturing”(2023). Through her curatorial expertise, Aining has organized multiple exhibitions promoting circular economy and zero waste knowledge. In 2021, she received the New Taipei City Women’s Award and was named a Generation T awardee by Tatler Asia. In 2023, she launched “Circular On-site,” a new program that helps businesses build sustainable and circular practices through skill development.

Kiyokazu Nasu Circle Design CEO / Editor-in-chief, Circular Economy Hub

After graduating from an American university and working for two companies, he founded Circle Design in 2020, which provides co-creation, consulting, research, and training services specializing in the Circular Economy. His fieldwork in Ecuador in 2004 on community conflict led to his interest in how “people” and “nature” can prosper together, which later led him to pursue and promote the Circular Economy. He is also the editor-in-chief of the Circular Economy Hub (Harch Inc.), a board member of the Japan Sustainable Salon Association, a mentor for the Business Accelerator Kanagawa (BAKbak), and an advisor for the Circular City Project in Gamagori City, Aichi Prefecture.

Yu Kato Our company CEO

Founder of Harch Inc. (2015), Kato leads media platforms such as IDEAS FOR GOOD and Circular Economy Hub, and runs the circular city transition initiative Circular Yokohama. He collaborates with companies, governments, and academic institutions to promote sustainability and circular economy practices. In April 2023, Harch Inc. obtained B Corp Certification. Kato also serves as Director of the Circular Futures Design Center at Shizenkan University Graduate School and is a research fellow at Keio University SFC Research Institute.

About REnato Lab

REnato Lab is a forward-thinking R&D team dedicated to exploring the best solutions to increase resource efficiency. By working with sustainability leaders and innovators, the lab helps accelerate a shift toward more sustainable lifestyles—living better while using resources more wisely.

URL: https://renato-lab.com/en/about

About Circular Economy Hub

Circular Economy Hub is an online media platform operated by Harch Inc. that specializes in the circular economy. Leveraging its network of companies, municipalities, universities, and expert institutions, it provides insights, case studies, and event/workshop content to support circular transition. In 2024, it published the Circular City Transition Guide for municipalities.

About Glass Rock

Glass Rock is a private membership hub operated by Mori Building Co., Ltd., located in Toranomon Hills. It promotes cross-sector collaboration to solve complex social issues such as population aging, climate change, and inequality. The facility supports member interaction (“Connect”), learning and dialogue (“Learn”), and public engagement (“Amplify”) to foster social innovation and realize a sustainable society.

URL: https://www.glass-rock.com/ (in Japanese)

[Reference] “Designing Circular Futures from Asia【Glass Rock × REnato Lab × Circular Economy Hub】” | Peatix
[Related Site] Circular Economy Hub (in Japanese)