Company History

In the early 1970s, while the development of public infrastructure increased productivity across industries, the worsening pollution problems led to the establishment of the Environmental Agency. In 1971, the section of the Kan-etsu Expressway from Nerima IC to Kawagoe IC opened, marking rapid progress in transportation and logistics infrastructure. For Ishizaka Inc., which was based in Nerima, Tokyo at the time, the development of this expressway presented a significant business opportunity.

During the bubble economy, economic activity surged, leading to an increase in waste generation. In addition, changes in lifestyle and industrial structure diversified the types of waste, creating a nationwide need for expanded waste treatment facilities. Against this backdrop, Ishizaka Inc. relocated its headquarters to Miyoshi Town, Saitama Prefecture. To further expand its recycling business, the company proceeded with the construction of new treatment plants and established a system to contribute to a circular society.

Amid growing global concern over environmental issues, reducing waste generation and promoting resource recycling became increasingly important. The 1992 Earth Summit (United Nations Conference on Environment and Development) marked a turning point, advancing measures against global warming and the establishment of recycling-related laws. In Japan, the Third Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP3) was held in Kyoto in 1997. Around this time, Ishizaka Inc. introduced state-of-the-art dioxin control incinerators to reduce environmental impact. However, as the dioxin issue became a nationwide social problem, the company faced an existential crisis in 1999 due to reputational damage. This event prompted Ishizaka Inc. to withdraw from the incineration business and pivot decisively toward recycling and waste separation operations.

The 21st century has been called the “Century of the Environment.” With the enactment of the Basic Act for Establishing a Sound Material-Cycle Society, Japan accelerated the shift from a society of mass production, mass consumption, and mass disposal to a circular society promoting Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle (3Rs). Amid global financial crises, companies were increasingly required to adopt sustainable management practices.
In 2002, during this major social transition, Noriko Ishizaka became president of Ishizaka Inc. She launched full-scale efforts to construct an all-weather recycling plant focused on meticulous waste separation and classification. At the same time, the company initiated activities to foster community understanding, including organizational reforms through ISO certification, satoyama (community forest) restoration, and public road cleaning. Factory observation paths were also established to visualize and demonstrate the company’s initiatives.

The Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011 marked a major turning point in Japan’s energy policy. Around the same time, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were internationally proposed, raising environmental awareness on a global scale. In 2013, Noriko Ishizaka assumed the position of President and CEO. Through ongoing conservation and recycling activities, the satoyama (community forests) surrounding the company were restored to their original state and recognized as a ”Place for Nature-Based Experiences” Research Organization under the Environmental Education Promotion Act.
Building on this, the satoyama area was opened to the public as Santome Konjakumura. In 2015, the company further accelerated its environmental education initiatives by constructing the Kunugi-no-Mori Exchange Plaza, a central facility for these activities. In addition to environmental education, various efforts were undertaken to improve operations and organizational structure, including the introduction of electric heavy machinery and the implementation of an integrated ISO seven-standard management system.

In the face of global challenges such as climate change, an era has arrived in which international efforts, development, and investment are required to achieve Carbon Neutrality (CN), Nature Positive (NP), and a Circular Economy (CE). At the same time, the world has faced increased uncertainty due to the spread of infectious diseases.
Amid these circumstances, Ishizaka Inc. has pursued the vision of “Zero Waste Design”, implementing and achieving pioneering initiatives toward the realization of a circular society. Furthermore, to address the serious societal challenge of labor shortages, the company has been advancing the use of AI and IT for labor-saving and automation. Today, we are taking on the challenge of expanding the Ishizaka Circular Model through partnerships that go beyond the boundaries of the industry.