In 2024, 50 local governments across Japan paved the way for new markets in the reuse market through Mercari Shops. The total annual sales amount exceeded 10 million yen, with Mishima City in Shizuoka Prefecture taking the top spot with sales of 1.46 million yen. This initiative is spreading among local governments, achieving both the effective use of local resources and the securing of new financial resources.
Mishima City began selling bulky waste and unused public equipment collected from citizens on Mercari Shops in September 2023.
Through measures such as improving products to reflect the opinions of local residents and collecting feedback from purchasers, the company increased the number of repeat customers and achieved sales of approximately 1.46 million yen.
Other examples include Okayama City, which raised 1.03 million yen from selling reused furniture, and Semboku City, which has established a nationwide model by selling disaster prevention stockpiles that were close to their expiration date.
In Miyoshi City and Aki-Takata City, in cooperation with Yakult Sanyo, they also sold items that residents no longer needed, which is expected to have a positive effect on the local economy through reuse.
These efforts have produced notable results in terms of sales and likes, paving the way for local governments to develop their own fundraising models.
Reuse businesses run by local governments have the potential to drive the spread of the circular economy. In particular, product development that takes advantage of local characteristics and rapid feedback functions using digital platforms are the keys to success.
The creation of new models through collaboration between the public and private sectors will contribute to strengthening the financial base of local governments and improving the sustainability of local communities as a whole.
This shows that by expanding these initiatives to other regions, local governments, regardless of their size, can open up new possibilities.
Policymakers and government officials should take this opportunity to reevaluate existing frameworks and consider the next steps.
Mercari's total number of listed items exceeds 4 billion
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