Sponsored by Kanazawa University
※This article is reprinted from “IDEAS FOR GOOD,” operated by Article Inc., with the original article available here.
As global challenges such as plastic waste and climate change grow increasingly severe, there is an urgent need to build resource circulation systems that do not depend on fossil resources. One promising solution is polysaccharide bioplastics, derived from biomass sources such as plants.
However, developing an excellent new material alone is not enough to change society. Transforming a material into everyday tools and achieving widespread adoption requires “co-creation” among diverse stakeholders. With this in mind, the “Megumi ga Meguru Consortium,” in which Kanazawa University participates, will hold an open forum titled “Co-creation Across Industry, Government, Academia, Community & Finance: Building a Society Where Polysaccharide Bioplastics Thrive” on Tuesday, November 17, 2026, at Warm Heart Cool Head TOKYO BASE in Akasaka, Tokyo.
This event, held under the hub vision of “letting the blessings of biomass circulate,” serves as a “co-creation space through dialogue” aimed at achieving the social implementation of polysaccharide bioplastics. Its purpose is to raise awareness of the consortium and foster connections with new participating organizations (such as companies and student groups).
The event will feature keynote speeches by experts active at the forefront of resource circulation and social implementation. In addition, short presentations will be given by the chairs of the five working groups active within the consortium (the Agricultural Materials Group, Marine Materials Group, Meguru Diamond Group, Living Design Group, and People Change, Society Changes Group). In the latter half, during the “Networking Session,” participants will explore concrete collaboration ideas through dialogue, drawing on their respective positions across industry, government, academia, community, and finance (financial institutions) to identify how they might engage with each working group.
Event Overview
Date & Time: Tuesday, November 17, 2026, 1:30 PM–3:50 PM (Registration opens at 1:00 PM) ※A networking reception will be held after the forum (4:00 PM–5:30 PM).
Venue: Warm Heart Cool Head TOKYO BASE (4F, Moto-Akasaka East, 1-7-18 Moto-Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo)
Capacity: Approximately 100 participants (first-come, first-served)
Admission: Free (※Networking reception only: ¥2,000, payable in cash at the reception desk on the day.)
Registration Deadline: Sunday, November 16, 11:59 PM
How to Register: Please apply via the registration form.
Organizer: Kanazawa University “Megumi ga Meguru Consortium”
Schedule
- 1:30 PM–1:40 PM: Opening remarks & overview
- 1:40 PM–2:00 PM: Keynote Speech ① Reina Takamura (Kao Corporation)
- 2:00 PM–2:20 PM: Keynote Speech ② Dai Habata (Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten Co., Ltd.)
- 2:20 PM–2:50 PM: Short presentations by the five working group chairs (Agricultural Materials, Marine Materials, Meguru Diamond, Living Design, and People Change, Society Changes)
- 3:00 PM–3:40 PM: Networking Session (theme-based dialogue to generate collaboration ideas)
- 3:40 PM–3:50 PM: Full-group sharing & closing
- 4:00 PM–5:30 PM: Networking reception (※including matchmaking support at working group booths)
Speakers
Reina Takamura (Kao Corporation, R&D Division, Research Strategy & Planning Department / Ministry of the Environment Registered Human Resources Program, Environmental Counselor [Business Sector])
Takamura leads “RecyCreation,” a project working toward the realization of plastic resource circulation through the development of recycling technologies and the creation of citizen-participatory systems. She is engaged in building collection and re-resourceization models through co-creation with local governments, companies, and citizens, as well as planning and implementing communication initiatives to encourage behavioral change among consumers. Her work aims to connect R&D outcomes with social implementation and, through dialogue and collaboration with diverse stakeholders, to build sustainable resource circulation systems and realize a circular society.
Dai Habata (Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten Co., Ltd., Head of Management Promotion Group)
After graduating from the Faculty of Law at Kyoto University, Habata joined the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in 2011. He has worked on the government’s growth strategy, environmental policy, startup policy, and the Osaka-Kansai Expo, among other areas. From 2018, he conducted research on cross-disciplinary social design at Parsons School of Design in New York (MFA). He joined Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten Co., Ltd. in 2023, where he is responsible for management and organizational design, sustainability strategy, public affairs, and the public sector.
Recommended For
- Business professionals interested in bioplastics and resource circulation initiatives
- Those interested in the social implementation of new materials (from the perspectives of design for everyday life and distribution channels)
- Those in the sustainability field exploring cross-sector collaboration and partnerships
- Student groups working on social issue resolution
What Is the Megumi ga Meguru Consortium?
The Megumi ga Meguru Consortium is a co-creation network spanning industry, government, academia, community, and finance, established in May 2026 to bring the research outcomes of Kanazawa University’s COI-NEXT program into society. Centered on five working groups, companies, government bodies, universities, citizens, and financial institutions collaborate across boundaries to build a society where the blessings of biomass circulate.
- Agricultural Materials
- Marine Materials
- Meguru Diamond
- Living Design
- People Change, Society Changes
What Is Kanazawa University COI-NEXT “Resource Circulation Society Co-creation Hub through Renewable Polysaccharide Plant-Derived Plastics”?
Kanazawa University’s COI-NEXT is the “Resource Circulation Society Co-creation Hub through Renewable Polysaccharide Plant-Derived Plastics,” selected in fiscal year 2021 under the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST)’s Program on Open Innovation Platform with Enterprises, Research Institute and Academia (OPERA) (full-scale type). Aiming to transition from petroleum-derived to plant-derived plastics, the hub is engaged in research, development, and social implementation through co-creation among industry, academia, and government over a ten-year period through fiscal year 2030.
▶︎Please apply via the registration form.
