In short
  • About 80% of consumers are interested in environmental issues; about 70% see them as a problem
  • Yet only 10–30% actually buy environmentally friendly products
  • More than half say they don't know which products are genuinely environmentally friendly
  • Over 70% already sort waste, use products longer and cut food waste

The report at a glance

Original title
令和7年版 消費者白書 — グリーン志向の消費行動
Publisher
Consumer Affairs Agency (消費者庁)
Published
2025
Language
Japanese
Access
Free, no registration
Open the original page (Japanese) ↗

Key numbers and findings

~80%interested in environmental issues
10–30%actually buy green products
50%+can't tell which products are green
  • Interest is high: around 80% of consumers are interested in environmental problems and around 70% see them as a problem; about half have thought about taking action.
  • Purchasing lags: only 10–30% (depending on the product) buy environmentally friendly goods.
  • The ‘3Rs’ are already habit: over 70% separate rubbish, use things for longer and reduce food waste.
  • The main barrier, cited by more than half, is simply not knowing which products are environmentally friendly.
  • Among those who do buy green products, around 90% say environmental concern is the reason; only about 5% are motivated mainly by saving money.

What it means for companies entering Japan

Our reading

For a sustainable brand, this is encouraging: the problem in Japan is not lack of interest but lack of clear information. Specific, verifiable claims in Japanese — what the material is, where it is made, how to repair or recycle it, which certification applies — do more than broad words such as ‘eco’ or ‘sustainable’.

Two cautions. First, vague environmental claims can fall foul of Japan's rules on misleading labelling, so check claims before translating them. Second, the Japanese version of ‘sustainable’ leans towards longevity, repair and not wasting — ideas such as mottainai — as much as towards carbon and packaging.

How to read the original

The Consumer Affairs Agency publishes the full text and a summary for each edition on its white paper page. Charts are clear enough to follow with browser translation.

Open the original page (Japanese) ↗

This is an independent summary by Japan Business Insider. Figures are taken from the original publication; the interpretation in “Our reading” is our own. Please check the original before quoting figures.

Japan Business InsiderBorn and raised in Japan, based in the UK for 30 years. I help Western brands read, enter and grow in the Japanese market — trend intelligence, localisation, social and search — reading the original Japanese sources every day.