Updated by the Forest Circular Economy Editorial Department on November 15, 2025, 9:12 PM JST
Editorial Board, Forest Circular Economy
Forestcircularity-editor
We aim to realize "Vision 2050: Japan Shines, Forest Circular Economy" promoted by the Platinum Forest Industry Initiative. We will disseminate ideas and initiatives to promote biomass chemistry, realize woody and lumbery communities, and encourage innovation in the forestry industry in order to fully utilize forest resources to decarbonize the economy, strengthen economic security, and create local communities.
JR East Startup, Spacewasp, and Hakuten will conduct a demonstration experiment themed "Circular Design of Local Resources" around Tokyo's Shinkiba Station from December 11th to 13th. Shinkiba Station is a key hub in the bay area served by the JR Keiyo Line, Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line, and Rinkai Line, with businesses in wood processing and warehousing concentrated around the station.This unique initiative aims to reuse plant-based waste generated in the Shin-Kiba/Tatsumi area and transform the space under the elevated tracks into a hub where local industries and visitors can interact.
Spacewasp is a startup that recycles plant-based waste into materials for space creation, developing building and interior materials that utilize wood scraps and offcuts that would otherwise be discarded.In this demonstration experiment, wood chips generated by timber businesses in the Shin-Kiba/Tatsumi area will be collected by Spacewasp and recycled into usable materials for booth construction. This material will be utilized as building material for the "SCH EVENT GUIDE BOOTH," the information hub for the regional event "SHINKIBA CREATIVE HUB."
Shinkiba, born as a timber yard, has a history of supporting Japan's timber industry as a “wood town.” While many timber businesses still operate there today, large amounts of plant-derived waste, such as wood chips and sawdust from lumbering and processing, are generated. Additionally, JR East Japan also produces plant-based waste, such as weeds and thinned timber, along its rail lines. Utilizing this waste and reducing environmental impact were common challenges for both parties.
The booth will feature displays of actual reused products and content where visitors can learn about and experience the reuse process. It will function not merely as an information hub, but as an experiential space that visualizes the circulation of local resources and inspires awareness among attendees.
This initiative is not a one-time experiment.Looking ahead, the vision is to establish manufacturing hubs in underutilized spaces like stations and underpasses. These hubs will automate the entire process—from converting plant waste into raw materials to producing finished goods—thus fully advancing the circulation of local resources. Furthermore, the plan is for these hubs to also function as gathering places for community interaction. This initiative repurposes underutilized assets owned by the railway company to present a new solution model addressing the challenges faced by the forestry and wood industries.
This initiative holds significance in two main ways. First, it redefines wood scraps and other waste materials from timber businesses not as "waste," but as "local resources." Second, it utilizes underutilized assets like stations and areas under elevated tracks as the foundation for a circular economy. This represents a unique perspective only possible for a railway company, and its future development is worth watching.
Reference Links
Circular Design for Local Resources Starting at the Station: Transforming Underpasses into Gathering Places. A Challenge Toward a “New Station Model” Circulating Plant-Based Waste – JR East Startup Co., Ltd.
Notice of Implementation of the "SHINKIBA CREATIVE HUB" Demonstration Project (Spacewasp Inc.)
Circular Design for Local Resources Starting from Stations and Underpasses | HAKUTEN Co., Ltd. | Communication Design®
SHINKIBA CREATIVE HUB
