Activity policy for 2009

Japan Packaging Institute

The world is suffering from expanding financial crises and the shrinking worldwide economy. We face regional conflicts, terrorism, global warming, poverty, and other crises. The biggest challenge for this year is how to handle these unprecedented difficulties and solve them. In Japan, there are mounting tasks to overcome including economic measures, unemployment and underemployment, financial reform, and social security. For this year, we expect that government and industry will work out drastic measures and that sustainable and highly effective policies for economic recovery will be implemented.
With such major problems to worry about, the packaging industry is also in the midst of large-scale phenomena including globalization, higher level of information networking, an aging population and diminishing number of children, and global warming. We are thus required more than ever to develop packaging that meets the needs of our times. Especially for parties concerned with packaging, understanding the relationship between corporate social responsibilities and packaging, and further work for developing and improving packaging to match social needs (e.g. environment-conscious packaging and universal packaging) is required.
Considering the situation, the Japan Packaging Institute will further improve projects for promoting the optimization of packaging and fostering human resources who will become major players in the next generation in this field, which are our basic projects. We will also further strengthen our work to develop packaging that matches social needs and for ensuring the safety and security of food, thus contributing to creating an energetic and reliable packaging industry. Among other things, the institute will hold the Live Pack Japan 2009 exhibition this year, working with industry, academia, and government as well as consumers to show the benefits of socially and environmentally adapted packaging.
Responding to a new statute related to public interest corporation status that came into effect last December, we will also keep on rechecking our projects and accounting in preparation for our transformation into a public-interest corporation. In addition, to maintain and energize our institute, we will promote projects in cooperation with branch offices so that our membership can more easily participate in such projects.
We will work on different projects while prioritizing the following:

1. Reexamining our projects and accounting in response to the revised public-interest corporation system
The system of judicial foundations and incorporated associations, collectively named public-interest corporations, has been revised. Our institute will continue rechecking our projects and accounting in preparation for applying to be authorized as a public-interest corporation, adapting to the new system. We will seek new projects suitable for a public-interest corporation and also review the projects already undertaken in cooperation with our branch offices across Japan.

2. Development of packaging paying full attention to social needs
We will increase understanding of the relationship between Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and packaging. We will work to develop environment-conscious packaging through reducing CO2 emissions and thoroughly implementing the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle). We will contribute to establishing the carbon footprint system, which the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has been promoting. In addition, we will create packages that meet social needs by strictly observing fair labeling and promoting universal designs. Taking the Live Pack Japan 2009 exhibition scheduled to be held this year as an opportunity, we will work with industry, academia, and government as well as consumers to widely inform all participants of social needs and the roles of packaging.

3. Further efforts for the safety and security of packaging and promoting technological developments
Safety and security issues have been attracting public attention these days. In the packaging field, we will work to establish an advanced system for safety and security such as a traceability system under strict quality assurance system. Consumer expectation for automatic recognition technologies such as Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and two-dimensional bar codes is especially high. We will promote developing packaging technologies in such fields to create and promote new demands and businesses.

4. Enhancement of activities and development of human resources in response to international standardization
As the secretariat for ISO/TC122 (packaging), JPI will further expand opportunities for playing an international role so that Japan's feedback can be reflected globally through efforts in establishing international standards and rules related to packaging. For such purpose, we will nurture human resources that can appropriately address globalization of the packaging field.

5. Development of human resources and projects for expanding the membership
In order to break through the stagnation surrounding today's economy and to further promote development of our institute, we will devote our energy to nurturing creative human resources. For that purpose, we will improve the quality of our projects for fostering human resources for the packaging industry and expand the scope through cooperation with branch offices scattered across Japan. These projects are one of the pillars for our activities. Along with this, we will strive to expand our membership by carrying out community-based and distinctive projects.

6. Preparation for the Tokyo International Packaging Exhibition (Tokyo Pack 2010)
In order to hold the Tokyo International Packaging Exhibition (Tokyo Pack 2010) for the development of the packaging industry and with content and management suitable as an international packaging exhibition, we will work hard to prepare while working with our membership and the parties concerned across Japan as well as the related organizations in Japan and abroad. Although the exhibition may be held against a background of very difficult times, we will provide exhibitions better prepared than ever and improve our public relations.