Profile

<Researcher Information >

Name	Yuichi Moriguchi
Project	Sustainable Material Cycles
Section	Research Center for Material Cycles and Waste Management
Job title	Director
Research field	Environmental System Engineering
Degree·license	Dr.(engineering)
E-mail	moriguti (Add "@nies.go.jp" at the back of the e-mail adress)

<Current major research themes>

- Material flow analysis (MFA) and integration of MFA, IOA, and LCA

Material flow analysis (MFA) literally refers to the methods of analyzing the flows of materials. The research ranges over a wide variety of subjects depending on what materials are studied, where the studied flows occur, and on what kind of issue awareness those studies are based. I have been performing research particularly addressing the macro material flows of the entire country. In 1997 and 2000, I published a U.S.-Europe-Japan international joint research report. Such achievements are reflected in the establishment of indicators and numerical targets based on material flows in the Basic Plan for Establishing a Sound Material cycles Society formulated in 2003, which contributes to the international activities of organizations such as the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The current issue is to combine MFA with input-output analysis (IOA) and lifecycle assessment (LCA) and to establish a system analysis method for material recycling. Information related to the global resource flows that surround Japan, in addition to Embodied Energy and Emission Intensity Data for Japan Using Input-Output Tables are provided on the Website of the Center for Global Environmental Research (concurrently serving).

- Assessment and design of measures and technology for formation of a recycling-oriented society

The actual conditions of recycling of containers and packaging, particularly PET bottles and other plastic containers and packaging, are studied through MFA; in addition, case studies such as assessment of the effects of recycling technology through LCA are examined. Furthermore, knowledge about the review and implementation of the Container and Packaging Recycling Law will be provided. The need to explain the costs and effects of recycling clearly while increasing demand for resources in our neighboring countries in Asia is beginning to influence domestic recycling activities.

- Vision of a recycling-oriented and low-carbon society and ultra-long-term vision for environmental problems

Efforts are undertaken to determine the desirable future state of the environment, economy, and society over the middle term and long term, such as the periods through 2020 and 2050, in addition to the ultra-long term. The processes and implications of reaching such a desirable state and the systems, technology, lifestyles, and other factors necessary for the achievement of such a state are examined in light of the Research Project of Japan Low Carbon Society Scenarios toward 2050, special research on the theme of sustainable society scenarios, and participation in discussions of the Ministry of the Environment on its ultra-long-term visions, in addition to the Core Project 1 in the Priority Program for Transition to a Sound Material-Cycle Society.

Click here for the Website of my other place of work(in Japanese) : Transition to a Cycle-Oriented Society (joint courses), Department of Environment Systems, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo.