On June 25, IRUNIVERSE hosted the Automotive Recycling Summit IV in Tokyo at Akihabara UDX. In light of the rapidly transforming used car export market, auction logistics, and vehicle recycling systems, around 120 participants gathered to engage in a dynamic exchange of views led by experts from government, industry, and academia, both from Japan and abroad. The summit featured a diverse lineup of speakers from automakers, dismantlers, exporters, recycling solution providers, and even a guest from India, offering multifaceted insights into current global trends and pressing challenges surrounding automotive recycling.

The event opened with a keynote by Mr. Satoshi Nakao, Chairman of the Automobile Distribution Market Reserch Institut (ADMRI), who spoke on the expansion of Japan’s used car export market. This was followed by Mr. Takashi Shimamura from Toyota Motor Corporation, presenting the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association’s (JAMA) long-term vision and voluntary targets for recycled material use.

Mr. Tomokazu Abe, Executive Director of the Japan ELV Recycler’s Association (JAERA), then delivered a field-based report on the outcomes and challenges of Japan’s recycling system, now in its 20th year, as well as on the rising demand for electric vehicles and the outflow of valuable resources.

From the field side, Mr. Taishi Suzuki of Kaiho Sangyo showcased their global parts distribution system powered by in-house IT solutions. Mr. Hiroki Akama from TAU presented their “Car Triage” concept for maximizing the value of damaged vehicles, including disaster response, parts reuse, and community engagement.

One of the most anticipated sessions came from Mr. Amar Singh, Secretary General of the Material Recycling Association of India (MRAI). He described the challenges of managing India’s rapidly increasing number of end-of-life vehicles amid insufficient legal frameworks, drawing significant interest in the future of the Asian market.

Next, Mr. Harumichi Yamashita, CEO of PLANIC, introduced their cutting-edge “Car-to-Car” resin recycling initiative using ASR-derived plastics for automotive applications. The company, in collaboration with European partners, has established Japan’s first advanced sorting and recycling system for automotive plastics.

In the latter half of the summit, Mr. Makoto Imo of Power eee discussed the reuse of solar power equipment, including silver recovery and off-grid pilot systems in Koshigaya City. Mr. Kenichi Taneya of Saint Parts warned about structural shifts in the domestic vehicle dismantling industry due to increased auction activity and the weak yen. Mr. Iku Matsumoto of SEI Automotive Europe GmbH expanded the summit’s global scope with an update on Germany’s ELV regulations.

Other highlights included Mr. Satoru Funabashi from Nihon Cim Co., Ltd., who introduced the company’s plastic recycling equipment and facility engineering business, and Mr. Satoshi Obata, Executive Officer of Aucnet, who discussed the historical development and future internationalization of the car auction market.

The event concluded with a panel discussion featuring representatives from JAMA, JAERA, TAU, PLANIC, Saint parts, and Yamaguchi University. Under the theme “Circular Economy in Automobiles and the Invisible Flow of Exported ELVs,” the panel explored key issues including policy development, statistical visibility, and industry cooperation.

On the following day, June 26, a site tour to EcoR and Arai Auction Bantora facilities will be offered to attendees, aiming to bridge theory and practice in real-world automotive recycling.

June 25-26 Automobile Recycling Summit IV in Tokyo

Full coverage and detailed session reports will be published on MIRU.com in the coming days.

(IRuniverse Lin)

Related articles