Japan weighs EV battery collection mandate as waste volume grows

A lithium-ion electric vehicle battery exhibited at a trade show in the Japanese city of Yokohama this year. (Photo by Kazuho Fujiwara)NODOKA MURAKAMIJune 16, 2026 03:25 JSTTOKYO -- Automakers in Japan could be required to collect used electric vehicle batteries under the country's recycling law for end-of-life autos, as the government seeks a solution to rising EV waste. TOKYO -- Automakers in Japan could be required to collect used electric vehicle batteries under the country's recycling law for end-of-life autos, as the government seeks a solution to rising EV waste.

TOKYO -- Automakers in Japan could be required to collect used electric vehicle batteries under the country's recycling law for end-of-life autos, as the government seeks a solution to rising EV waste. Read NextElectric vehiclesJapan to start EV battery traceability program to spur recyclingTechnologyHow Peak Energy is using table salt to break China's battery strangleholdElectric vehiclesMitsubishi Motors, Nissan to launch EV-to-grid power trading servicesEnergyGM partners with Peak Energy for sodium-ion battery storageBusiness AsiaJapan's auto industry plots new road map to counter BYD threatAutomobilesHonda scales back aggressive EV push, overhauling fundamental strategyElectric vehiclesPanasonic EV battery production delayed again as customer order stallsElectric vehiclesJapan-made EVs at risk of losing EU subsidies under content proposalLatest on Supply ChainSupply ChainJX Advanced Metals to raise optical chip wafer capacity for AI data centersSupply ChainUS tungsten scrap exports to Japan soar on Chinese curbsSupply ChainCanadian miner taps Brazil to carve China out of rare-earth supply chain Read Next Read Next Electric vehiclesJapan to start EV battery traceability program to spur recyclingTechnologyHow Peak Energy is using table salt to break China's battery strangleholdElectric vehiclesMitsubishi Motors, Nissan to launch EV-to-grid power trading servicesEnergyGM partners with Peak Energy for sodium-ion battery storageBusiness AsiaJapan's auto industry plots new road map to counter BYD threatAutomobilesHonda scales back aggressive EV push, overhauling fundamental strategyElectric vehiclesPanasonic EV battery production delayed again as customer order stallsElectric vehiclesJapan-made EVs at risk of losing EU subsidies under content proposal Electric vehiclesJapan to start EV battery traceability program to spur recycling Electric vehiclesJapan to start EV battery traceability program to spur recycling TechnologyHow Peak Energy is using table salt to break China's battery stranglehold Electric vehiclesMitsubishi Motors, Nissan to launch EV-to-grid power trading services EnergyGM partners with Peak Energy for sodium-ion battery storage Business AsiaJapan's auto industry plots new road map to counter BYD threat AutomobilesHonda scales back aggressive EV push, overhauling fundamental strategy Electric vehiclesPanasonic EV battery production delayed again as customer order stalls Electric vehiclesJapan-made EVs at risk of losing EU subsidies under content proposal Latest on Supply Chain Latest on Supply Chain Supply ChainJX Advanced Metals to raise optical chip wafer capacity for AI data centersSupply ChainUS tungsten scrap exports to Japan soar on Chinese curbsSupply ChainCanadian miner taps Brazil to carve China out of rare-earth supply chain Supply ChainJX Advanced Metals to raise optical chip wafer capacity for AI data centers Supply ChainUS tungsten scrap exports to Japan soar on Chinese curbs Supply ChainCanadian miner taps Brazil to carve China out of rare-earth supply chain Sponsored Content Sponsored Content