Kimita Laboratory
Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo
Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo
Innovation for
Circular Economy
In recent years, the Circular Economy has been attracting attention as a new model for economic growth. The Circular Economy is a new economic system that pursues sustainable business and society while satisfying the rationality of individuals and companies. Due to issues such as climate change and resource depletion, the traditional one-way economy of mass production, consumption, and disposal (linear economy) is reaching its limits, and people around the world are searching for ways to reduce resource waste by considering “throw-away” in the business planning and product design stages. At Kimita Laboratory, we design innovative products, services, business models, and policies to advance the circular economy, while nurturing entrepreneurs to implement these ideas in society.
In recent years, we hear the term “circular economy” (CE) used more and more often. However, it's noteworthy that in Japan, discussions often still focus on recycling. In contrast, the essence of CE is a mechanism to circulate resources while maintaining their value without discarding them. Thus, it's necessary to reconsider how products should be from the business planning, product design, and design stages, instead of focusing solely on recycling disposed products.
In other words, how to balance “reduction of environmental impact” with “economic rationality for companies and individuals”-this is the key question for the realization of CE. Currently, global efforts are underway in research and practice to establish CE as a strategy for new economic growth, seeking answers to this crucial question.
What, then, are the tangible methods for implementing CE in society? A typical example would be the “subscription” and “sharing” services that have emerged in recent years.
Consumption styles are shifting from ownership to usage, especially among the younger generation. Instead of selling products outright, product functions are provided as services. Such a business model is also called “PaaS (Product as a Service)” or “Servitization”.
One of the services studied by the Kimita Laboratory is a subscription-based fashion rental service, whereby a single garment is used by multiple people, reducing excessive production and garment waste. This is truly an ideal service to introduce the concept of sustainability, especially in the apparel industry, which is known for its high environmental impact.
However, does sharing indeed have a lower environmental impact than owning clothes? It is true that sharing increases the number of wears per garment and decreases the environmental impact per wear. At the same time, however, it is also pointed out that the environmental impact may increase due to the need to transport the garments.
Which is really better for the environment, owning or sharing? To address this, Our laboratory is developing simulations to evaluate the environmental impact and economic efficiency of such systems. As these methods become more established, it may be possible to derive products and business models that can achieve a state of greater corporate profit and smaller environmental impact by adopting a subscription model instead of product sales.
Similar changes are occurring not only in B2C businesses, such as clothing and home appliances, but also in B2B businesses. A typical example is the tire manufacturer MICHELIN, headquartered in France. The company succeeded in developing fuel-efficient tires with a reduced environmental footprint, yet encountered a challenge in marketing these eco-friendly, albeit higher-priced, tires. Therefore, the company has adopted the CE perspective and offers a “Pay-Per-Mile” service in which customers are charged according to the distance traveled on the tires.
Such a service not only reduces environmental impact, but also has advantages for both the manufacturer and the customer company. First, client companies can lower their initial tire purchase and maintenance costs. Moreover, the manufacturer can anticipate increased sales by providing retreaded tires, thereby reducing the resources consumed (manufacturing costs) that were originally needed to produce new tires. By changing the business model, more client companies can use highly fuel-efficient tires at less cost. Not only that, but manufacturers can also expect increased sales and corporate growth, creating a win-win relationship.
In collaboration with major companies, our laboratory explores “ways to create mutually beneficial relationships among the various stakeholders in CE”. In the process, we are actively engaged in collaboration with companies and government bodies beyond the framework of a university laboratory.
Our laboratory places the highest value on each student’s individual interests and questions, and we encourage you to develop a research theme that genuinely reflects them. Drawing on your previous studies, undergraduate (or prior) thesis work, and our laboratory’s accumulated expertise — and in close consultation with me — you will define your topic. Research progresses within a robust support framework that combines regular one‑on‑one meetings with me and focused small‑group discussions. These sessions provide continuous feedback, help clarify challenges, and keep your work on track. Students seeking industry experience may join collaborative projects with corporate partners, tackling real‑world business problems and working with proprietary data. We also actively support international activities, including conference presentations and exchanges with overseas research institutions.
Entrepreneurially minded students are especially welcome. Through joint projects with companies, you will deepen your understanding of societal needs, generate solutions, and acquire practical skills such as data analytics and simulation development. When appropriate, I can facilitate meetings with our partner venture‑capital firms, and several alumni have already launched startups based on research conducted here. If you aspire to pursue rigorous academic inquiry while creating tangible impact — and to shape your own career with initiative — I invite you to join us.
Koji Kimita is a Project Associate Professor in the Department of Technology Management for Innovation at the University of Tokyo. He is an expert in Circular Economy (CE), Product-Service Systems (PSS), and Servitization, focusing on the development of engineering methods for designing and implementing CE business models. He received his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. from Tokyo Metropolitan University in 2006, 2008, and 2011, respectively. He was a guest researcher at the Technical University of Denmark.
Sustainable Service Design／Data-driven entrepreneurship for engineering researchers／Data-driven business planning／Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy
Koji KIMITA
Xinmeng Li
Project Researcher
Yudai TSURUSAKI
Ph.D Student
Mikiya ASANUMA
Master’s Student
Yuma FUJIWARA
Master’s Student
Eiji YOSHIKI
Master’s Student
Zhende WANG
Master’s Student
Rumiko KOBAYASHI
Administrative staff
〒113-0032 Yayoi 2-11-16, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo
Faculty of Engineering Bldg.12 Room 207,
Department of Technology Management for Innovation,
Graduate School of Engineering,
The University of Tokyo