Tokyo's Restaurants are Leading the Way Toward Zero Food Waste

Economic Incentives for Restaurants to Reduce Food Waste

"We actually first found out about the Zero Food Waste campaign through our beer supplier," explains Ohira Hideki, the Sales Department Manager of Ikkyu Co. Ltd. "It was simple word of mouth, which might sound surprising in a city as big as Tokyo. But that's still how a lot of good ideas spread—particularly in the food and beverage service industry."

The campaign held considerable appeal to Ikkyu's chain of izakaya restaurants, which currently includes 20 locations across Tokyo and neighboring Saitama Prefecture. "From a moral standpoint, we understand that reducing food waste is the right thing to do," says Ohira. "No one wants to throw perfectly good food away. But as a business, we also need to know that there will be tangible economic benefits."

The most immediate impact was on their garbage bill. "Restaurants have to pay for waste disposal, which can be quite expensive. More garbage means higher disposal bills," explains Ohira. "So, our primary motive for reducing food waste was to cut down on those costs. But we also soon realized that it made our staff more efficient, as they didn't need to spend as many of their working hours dealing with garbage."

Project manager Kamimura Taichi from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's Bureau of Environment agrees that financial incentives are crucial to getting more restaurants on board with the Zero Food Waste campaign. "We know that many restaurant owners are conscientious when it comes to reducing food waste. But they are running businesses. We have to explain how this campaign will help their bottom line."

Simple But Effective: Providing Takeout Containers for Leftovers

For the campaign to be successful, it needed to be easy for restaurants to adopt and implement. "Providing takeout containers to participating businesses could be a simple but effective step forward," explains Kamimura. "This gives customers the option to take leftovers from their meal home for later, instead of leaving them there on the table."

From Ohira's perspective, this element of choice is key. "Our first priority is always our customers. The last thing we would want is for them to feel pressured in any way. The takeout containers are provided simply as an option—we display them at the front of the izakaya and gently suggest to customers that they can take home leftovers if they would like to do so."

Taking home leftover food after a meal has long been the norm in many countries, but it has long been relatively uncommon in Japanese restaurants. While it is sometimes assumed that this is a cultural phenomenon, the most tangible factors are concerns about hygiene and food safety, with restaurants concerned about possible liability if they allowed customers to take unfinished meals home. 

To allay these fears, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare laid out clear guidelines in 2024. Kamimura explains that these can be found on the flyers and takeout containers of the Zero Food Waste campaign. Diners are reminded not to take home raw or easily spoiled food, or to do so in hot weather. All food should be reheated thoroughly before consumption. Restaurant staff can also inform customers regarding which dishes can or cannot be taken home.

Ohira says that he has noticed a general change in attitudes toward delivery and takeout food in Japan since the COVID pandemic. "It feels like people are becoming far more open to the idea of taking food home these days. So far, the response at our restaurant has been overwhelmingly positive."

Working Towards a Sustainable Circular Economy

Through practical measures, such as encouraging diners to finish their meals and providing takeout containers to restaurateurs and their customers, the Zero Food Waste campaign aims to contribute to a larger economic and environmental shift in Tokyo. This reflects the pursuit of a circular economy, a concept promoted by the Bureau of Environment, in which as much non-recyclable waste as possible is eliminated. With this goal, the Tokyo Circular Economy Action initiative promotes steps such as considering durability and recyclability from the design stage, the goal is to achieve zero waste.

One source of inspiration for the Tokyo Circular Economy Action initiative has been the United Nations' SDGs. Awareness of these broad-ranging societal goals has become increasingly widespread in Japan, particularly among young people. "Everyone seems to know about SDGs," says Ohira. "And we've found them very useful here at Ikkyu, especially when it comes to collaborating with food producers."

Because supermarkets in Japan generally require fruit to look uniform and attractive, fruit with unusual shapes or minor nicks is often discarded by farmers. To combat this inefficiency, Ikkyu has partnered with local farms in western rural Tokyo to make drinks and desserts from fruit that might otherwise be thrown away. A quick glance through their menu reveals a tasty-looking sherbet and a tempting beverage made from nashi (Japanese pear). Sourcing the fruit locally also reduces costs and the environmental impact of transportation.

Ohira says that many customers do seem to value Ikkyu's commitment to sustainability. "With a restaurant, taste and price are obviously the most important factors to the vast majority of people. But I think it also feels good to know that your food is being made by someone who cares about the environment and the community. That's why we include information about our sustainability efforts and SDGs initiatives on the menu." 

When it comes to food, he believes in an encouraging and patient approach. "Aiming for zero food waste is an ambitious goal. But we'll get there—one meal at a time."

Kamimura Taichi (left), Ohira Hideki (right)

Ohira Hideki
Ohira is the Sales Department Manager of Ikkyu Co. Ltd., a chain of izakaya restaurants with 20 locations in Tokyo and Saitama. 

Kamimura Taichi
Kamimura is the project manager for the Bureau of Environment of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.