DWIH-Tokyo Symposium: „Sustainable Consumption and Production“

Mr Makoto Sakashita, Director of the Global Environmental Affairs Office at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, highlighted the growing impact of climate change on food production and food security. Mr Bastian Semmel, First Secretary for Food and Agriculture at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Japan, noted that food production and consumption are inseparable and mutually influential components of our daily lives. Finally, Mr Axel Karpenstein, Director of DWIH Tokyo and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) Tokyo, emphasised that sustainable consumption and production represent one of the defining challenges of our time and urged the need to place greater value on our limited resources.

Thematic Panel I: „Consumer Behaviour and the Transition to Circular Consumption“

Chaired by Dr Alexandra Pehlken from the German Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI), this panel explored sustainable consumption, consumer decision-making, the circular economy, and climate change awareness. The session began with Professor Hoe Chin Goi from the Nagoya University of Commerce and Business (NUCB Business School), who presented an international sustainability project conducted with students from Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong. His study demonstrated how education for sustainable development is vital for fostering sustainability awareness among young people.

Mr Semmel contributed insights into the German government’s perspective on sustainable consumption, followed by Professor Carsten Herbes, Vice President of Research and Transfer at Nürtingen-Geislingen University, who introduced his research on the relationship between participation in the Fridays for Future movement and private sustainable consumption among young people in Germany and Japan. Professor Carola Hommerich from Sophia University then presented her work on the connection between climate knowledge and climate-related emotions.
The panel concluded with three central takeaways: the strong conformity that shapes consumer behaviour, the value of gamification in enhancing user engagement, and the need for effective governmental regulation.

Thematic Panel II: „Sustainable and Responsible Food Systems“

This panel examined a wide range of topics related to sustainable food production, business and consumer responsibility, consumer awareness, citizen engagement, food labelling and certification, food authentication, and the reduction of food loss. The session opened with an impact statement by Hirotaka Tanaka, CEO of UnlocX & Co., and was chaired by Ugo Bataillard, Founder and CEO of GourmetPro. Mr Tanaka highlighted how the value of food extends far beyond cultural traditions, encompassing tourism, entertainment, and education—demonstrating the growing importance of food technology.

The subsequent thematic panel discussion, chaired by Mr Karpenstein, brought together several forward-looking perspectives. Mr Bataillard presented cutting-edge innovations from his company on upcycling methods aimed at reducing food waste. Professor Markus Fischer from Hamburg University discussed his research on technologies used to detect food fraud. Mr Robin Lewis, CEO and co-founder of mymizu, introduced his community-driven app designed to reduce plastic bottle use by directing users to nearby water refill stations. Professor Hayato Masuda from Osaka Metropolitan University offered detailed insights into food technology and process intensification through his research on ice-cream manufacturing, and Mr Hirotaka Tanaka gave further notes on the value of food culture and food technology.

Key takeaways from the discussion included the internal challenges faced by companies and local governments due to rigid departmental structures, as well as the significant influence of consumer biases on sustainability efforts.

Networking & Poster Session

The poster session brought together a wide range of institutions and start-ups presenting innovative research and practical solutions across sustainability, agriculture, food systems, material science, and circular economy transitions. Exhibitors introduced approaches such as a foresight-driven analytics model for sustainable aquaculture, advanced methods to detect food fraud through multi-level cellular analysis, and a heat-resistant, plant-based bioplastic designed to replace fossil fuel–derived materials. Other contributions explored AI adoption strategies in sustainability-focused start-ups, professionals’ perspectives on consumer behaviour in sustainable packaging, and environmentally friendly farming practices in Japan’s GIAHS-designated Aso region. Additional posters highlighted digital tools for plastic detection supporting circular economy goals, case studies on sustainable rural production in response to demographic change, market analyses of natural cosmetics in Japan, and student-led initiatives aimed at fostering campus sustainability.

Thematic Panel III: „Sustainable Agriculture“

For the impact statement in this panel, we had the great honour of welcoming Professor Shunsuke Managi, Director of the Urban Institute at Kyushu University, member of the ISC working group for the United Nations, and listed among Clarivate Highly Cited Researchers (2023–2025). Professor Managi underscored the deep interconnection between human and natural capital and highlighted generative AI as a key tool for addressing future sustainability challenges. The impact statement was chaired by Dr Markus Heckel, Deputy Director of DWIH Tokyo.

The subsequent thematic panel, chaired by Professor Goi, offered a range of perspectives from the agricultural sector. Ms Eri Otsu, a farmer from O2 Farm in Kumamoto, presented her nature-positive approach to agriculture, which safeguards biodiversity throughout the year and reduces emissions through the use of solar power and biodiesel. She emphasised the essential role farmers play not only in food production but also in landscape management and sustainable development.

Mr Benedikt Reifenrath, CEO of Agriclue LLC, demonstrated how nitrogen loss in agriculture can be significantly reduced, providing important socio-economic insights. Dr Denis Pastory Rubanga, founder of the sustainable farm network KimPax, highlighted the importance of generational knowledge exchange between younger and older farmers. Finally, Professor Dieter Trautz, Head of the Department of Sustainable Agro-Ecosystems and Organic Farming at Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, introduced smart farming technologies using AI and sensors to provide farmers with detailed information on crop health, soil pH levels, and the presence of harmful weeds.

Thematic Panel IV: „Sustainable Production and Consumption“

The second day of the symposium opened with a panel on bioplastics, sustainable packaging, the circular economy, and waste reduction. Chaired by Professor Carsten Herbes, the session began with Mr Bernd Barkey, President and Representative Director at Syntegon Technology, who outlined the key challenges facing the development of sustainable food packaging in Japan. Dr Alexandra Pehlken then presented her research on using AI to detect and classify different types of waste on ocean and land surfaces through sensors mounted on drones and aircraft. Mr Koichiro Fukasawa, Founder and CEO of Camino, introduced PAPLUS, his biomass-based plastic used to produce rentable sustainable cutlery. Finally, Dr Ekrem Ayna, Research Director at Epsilon Bioanalytics, offered valuable insights into aquaculture and fisheries, highlighting issues such as food fraud, food waste, and the comparative sustainability of aquaculture versus wild fisheries.

Future Policy Implications and Action Planning

In this session, chaired by Dr Markus Heckel and Dr Barbara Holthus, Deputy Director of the German Institute for Japanese Studies in Tokyo, Mr Koichiro Fukasawa, Professor Carsten Herbes, Ms Eri Otsu, and Dr Denis Pastory Rubanga addressed questions on how the Japanese and German governments can drive meaningful action toward sustainable consumption and production. The discussion explored challenges such as overcoming Japan’s strong reliance on plastics, implementing effective policy measures in depopulating rural areas, facilitating knowledge exchange between younger and older farmers, and improving consumer education on sustainable behaviour.

Closing Keynote

The closing session, chaired by Dr Markus Heckel, had the great honour of welcoming Professor Norichika Kanie from Keio University. Professor Kanie has served on numerous Japanese government committees related to the SDGs and was one of the 15 scientists appointed by the UN Secretary-General to author the Global Sustainable Development Report 2023.

Against the backdrop that only 35% of the SDGs are currently on track, Professor Kanie stressed the need to prepare for future crises and to address urgent sustainability challenges with greater ambition. He underscored the importance of fostering dialogue across diverse perspectives and accelerating collective action. Finally, he encouraged the audience to envision what comes after the SDGs in 2030—highlighting themes such as material well-being, health, education, environmental quality, subjective well-being, social capital, and governance.

Author: Luise Weirauch (Intern, DWIH-Tokyo)