Minato Mirai Circular City Project: Driving Decarbonization in the Minato Mirai 21 District

The Minato Mirai Circular City Project (commonly called MMCC) promotes the circular economy and resource circulation to achieve decarbonization in the Minato Mirai 21 district. The initiative is operated jointly by the Yokohama SDGs Design Center and the City of Yokohama.

The Minato Mirai 21 district—together with 32 facilities located within the area managed by the General Incorporated Association Yokohama Minato Mirai 21—was selected in the first round of the Ministry of the Environment’s FY 2022 call for “Decarbonization Leading Areas.*” Working with participating companies, local businesses, organizations, and residents, the district aims to reach net‑zero CO2 emissions from electricity consumption by FY 2030.

Achieving a decarbonized society requires not only a shift to renewable energy but also a transition to a circular economy that emphasizes resource circulation and waste reduction. Under the Decarbonization Leading Area framework, MMCC is strengthening the creation and dissemination of an urban circular‑economy model. Each year it hosts the “Minato Mirai Circular Weekend,” where citizens enjoy hands-on circular experiences, along with several circular‑economy workshops and the “Everyone TRY Toward Decarbonization! Minato Mirai Circular Economy Conference.”

*Decarbonization Leading Areas
Regions selected by the Ministry of the Environment under the “Regional Decarbonization Roadmap” that commit to goals such as “net‑zero CO2 emissions from electricity consumption in the residential and commercial sectors by FY 2030.”

1. Visualizing and improving resource circulation across the entire district

In one MMCC initiative, area businesses and commercial facilities collaborate to digitally map the volume and flow of waste (resources), aiming to enhance district‑wide circularity. Co‑creation enables new circular routes for waste that previously went unrecycled. Visualizing waste volumes by category improves collection efficiency, cuts costs, and increases the value of recycled resources through traceability, while reducing waste, incineration, and Scope 3 CO2 emissions via procurement of recycled materials. Sharing up‑to‑date circular economy information within the community also lowers information‑gathering costs and fosters internal awareness.

2. Hosting circular economy workshops for citizens

Since 2023, the annual “Minato Mirai Circular Weekend” has featured diverse workshops. Examples include a plastics workshop where participants shred and melt PET‑bottle caps to create new items, experiencing the complete material‑recycling process, and an upcycling art workshop that uses spent coffee grounds as paint. Other highlights are exhibits of circular products and services developed by Yokohama‑based companies and the “Circular Gacha,” a capsule machine where participants exchange PET‑bottle caps for circular goods. The event offers fun, hands-on circular experiences for everyone from children to adults.

3. Creating innovation through Industry‑Government‑Academia‑Citizen co‑creation

Leveraging Minato Mirai’s mix of office, residential, commercial, governmental, and educational zones, MMCC strengthens partnerships and matchmaking to build a circular‑economy model unique to a major city. Collaboration that taps the technologies and strengths of industry, government, academia, and citizens makes new initiatives, such as proof‑of‑concept tests, more feasible than isolated efforts, fostering an environment conducive to innovation. With numerous corporate R&D centers, startups, and educational institutions clustered in the district, conducting proof‑of‑concept testing in Minato Mirai is expected to spur new businesses and innovation, invigorate the regional economy, and attract companies.