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Regional Circular and Symbiotic Systems Lab
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The lab designs decarbonized, circular regions by looking at the flows of resources and energy.
AboutAbout the lab
Regional Symbiosis × Resource Circulation
The Regional Circular and Symbiotic Systems Lab studies the flows of resources and energy in cities and regions, and the environmental impacts that come with them.
The lab conducts research on systems that circulate and reuse resources accumulated in cities, and on systems for managing energy at the regional level.
The lab takes a scientific approach to how the environment, society, and the economy can coexist, and aims to implement such systems in communities to help realize a decarbonized society and a circular society.
The lab was newly established in FY2020.
Key terms
- Regional Circular and Ecological Sphere
- A vision of society in which each region is self-reliant while also supporting neighboring regions by complementing each other's resources and energy.
- Material Flow Analysis
- An analytical method that traces the flows and quantities of a given material: where it is produced, used, and disposed of.
- Life Cycle Assessment
- A method that accounts for environmental impacts across a product's entire life, from raw material extraction through manufacturing and use to disposal. Also known as LCA.
NewsLab news
Associate Professor Nakatani received the Minister of the Environment's Award (for contributions to waste and septic tank research and development)
Associate Professor Nakatani received the Encouragement Award from the Japan Society of Material Cycles and Waste Management
A master's student received the Outstanding Presentation Award at the Research Presentation Meeting of the Japan Society of Material Cycles and Waste Management
A master's student received the Best Presentation Award (Master's Division) at the 2024 Annual Meeting of the Society of Environmental Science, Japan
ResearchResearch themes
The lab studies systems of circulation and symbiosis in cities and regions. It envisions the efficient use of materials and energy in cities, and treats disposable products and buildings as circular resources. Its work covers a wide range of problems, from plastic resource circulation to analyzing the environmental burden of an entire country and setting SDGs-based goals for the future of cities.
*Illustrative imageFuture Scenarios for Decarbonized Regions
The lab is developing methods that quantitatively evaluate the environmental, social, and economic characteristics of a region using indicators such as the SDGs. Using these evaluations, the methods plan measures for energy, resource circulation, transportation, and more that make the most of each municipality's individual character, and quantitatively assess their effects.
*Illustrative imageBuilding Regional Circular and Ecological Spheres
Toward forming Regional Circular and Ecological Spheres, the lab quantitatively clarifies the effects of resource circulation between cities and industrial facilities such as factories, as well as of cascading use of renewable energy, waste heat, and other sources.
*Illustrative imagePlastic Resource Circulation
Using plastics as the main subject, and applying material flow analysis and life cycle assessment, the lab draws up an overall picture of "resource circulation through inter-industry integration" that spans industries such as petrochemicals and steel.
*Illustrative imageFootprints of Urban Activities
The lab uses life cycle assessment and environmentally extended input-output analysis to clarify the environmental impacts and resource consumption hidden in supply chains, from production until products reach consumers.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Regional Circular and Symbiotic Systems Lab consist of faculty members, secretaries, academic specialists, and doctoral and master's students.As of 2025
- ProfessorTsuyoshi FujitaPublications ↗
- Associate ProfessorJun NakataniPublications ↗
- Assistant ProfessorNaho YamashitaPublications ↗
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Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “Mt karousan 2016” Townphoto / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Future Scenarios for Decarbonized Regions: “Setouchi Kirei Mega Solar Power Plant from Ushimado Olive Garden” Saigen Jiro / CC0 (cropped)
- Building Regional Circular and Ecological Spheres: “Kawasaki Industrial Area Japan )” Yuhei Mukoyama / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Plastic Resource Circulation: “Bales of PET bottles stacked” Grendelkhan / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Footprints of Urban Activities: “Aerial image of the Bremerhaven container terminal (view from the southeast)” Carsten Steger / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Socio-Ecological Systems Lab): “Aeration tank activated sludge process STP Bengaluru India” Vraj Acharya, WELL Labs / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Urban Sustainability Lab (Fukushi Lab)): “Chicago-City-Hall-Green-Roof 01” Conservation Design Forum / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Urban Planning Lab): “JP-Tokyo-Area-Taken-From-Airplane” Kanchi1979 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Environmental Quality Risk Management Lab): “oil-puddle” Roger McLassus 1951 / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
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