The estimated amount of food wasted by Japanese households and food-linked businesses?in fiscal year 2024?fell to the lowest level since data collection started in fiscal 2012, government data showed on Tuesday.
The food waste amount dropped by 30,000 tons from the previous year to 4.61 million tons in fiscal 2024, which ended in March last year, decreasing for a?third consecutive year, according to the agriculture ministry, the Environment Ministry and the Consumer Affairs Agency.
Food that businesses discarded grew to 2.37 million tons from 2.31 million tons, the first increase in three years, apparently because of increased restaurant visits after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Of that amount, 1.1 million tons came from food makers, up from 1.08 million tons, and 700,000 tons from restaurants, up from 660,000 tons.
The figure for households fell to 2.24 million tons from 2.33 million tons, continuing a downward trend from fiscal 2017. The amount of food that was disposed of unopened was 960,000 tons, down from 1 million tons.
The government has a goal of reducing food waste to 2.19 million tons at businesses and to 2.16 million tons at households by fiscal 2030.
In April, the Consumer Affairs Agency and the agriculture ministry started certifying food banks to promote food donations. The system ¡°may help cut food waste from businesses,¡± an official said.
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