What do people get wrong about repairing rather than replacing in Japan?

This answer is a draft. It stays unpublished until legal review and source verification are complete.

Mending is often presented abroad as a philosophy about imperfection. In daily life it is more ordinary than that — and the government has been counting the waste it prevents.

The context in numbers

Japan generated about 4.64 million tonnes of food loss in fiscal 2023 — half of it from households. The Ministry of the Environment tracks this alongside broader circular-economy targets. Repair sits in the same policy space: keeping objects in use is treated as waste prevention, not nostalgia.

Shoe-repair counters in stations, knife-sharpening services and clothing-alteration shops remain common because the infrastructure for repair never went away.

[Verify] Food-loss figure from the Ministry of the Environment (June 2025 release). Confirm before publication.

Misunderstanding 1｜It is a spiritual practice

Some crafts do carry that meaning. Most repair is practical: shoes resoled, knives sharpened, umbrellas re-ribbed.

Misunderstanding 2｜It happens because things are expensive

It also happens because repair services are available and nearby.

Misunderstanding 3｜Only old items get repaired

Sharpening a knife or resoling a shoe is maintenance, not rescue. Maintenance happens before something breaks.

Misunderstanding 4｜Repaired means visibly patched

Some traditions make the repair visible on purpose. Most repair is meant to be invisible.

Misunderstanding 5｜It is disappearing

Repair counters remain common in stations and shopping centres. It has not gone; it is just not advertised as a lifestyle.

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Sources

• Ministry of the Environment — food loss estimates (fiscal 2023)

https://www.env.go.jp/press/press_00002.html

• Ministry of the Environment — circular economy and waste reduction

https://www.env.go.jp/recycle/

• Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry — traditional crafts

https://www.meti.go.jp/policy/mono_info_service/mono/nichiyo-densan/

⚠️ Editorial note: the source URLs above were identified by search. Our working environment cannot reach go.jp domains, so the contents have not been checked against the text. Verify every source before publication and record who checked it and when.

About this article

What we share here are ideas and everyday practices passed down among people living in Japan, together with general information drawn from public sources. They are not official recommendations, and they are not professional instruction. Practices vary between households and regions.

This is general information. Results vary from person to person and depend on your own conditions and surroundings.

Please decide for yourself, using your own judgement, whether any of this suits your situation. We cannot accept responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from following this article.

Do not attempt repairs involving electricity, gas or plumbing yourself — these require qualified professionals. Modifying appliances may void the manufacturer's warranty.

Sources

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