--- description: Breaking news and analysis from time.com. Politics, world news, photos, video, tech reviews, health, science, and entertainment news. title: Breathing Life Into the Circular Economy image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd062f66b9c108a89/6a4b525a63380273ea1b1be1/D2BBACDED1B74C21842C6D81F8A7AE5F.png?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 --- # Breathing Life Into the Circular Economy  Hideto Aoki , President, IEC Co., Ltd. Hideto Aoki , President, IEC Co., Ltd. The year 2025 was big for the global sustainability scene, especially in Japan. The term “GX” (green transformation) has become a popular way of describing the changes taking place across the country in the name of sustainability, with 2025 ushering in a landmark number of new policies. The official government stance is strong, with $1.34 billion in subsidies earmarked for companies investing in clean power, supporting the goal of driving growth in many of Japan’s regional areas. System integrator IEC knows firsthand how sustainability is shaping Japan’s business landscape. Operating from its base in Nagoya, an area filled with companies in the automotive, aerospace and robotics sectors, IEC has served as a key link between manufacturers and suppliers for over 60 years. Now, increased awareness of sustainability and concrete goals set for 2030 have opened new avenues for the kinds of technology IEC’s clients are seeking. “Definitely, we have witnessed many changes due to the shifting business landscape,” said IEC President Hideto Aoki. “For example, Japanese automakers now recognize that our equipment is vital for in-house gas circulation at their plants. Previously, they had to offset emissions using carbon credits, whereas now emissions can be reduced at the source.” As a trading company, IEC specializes in supplying fluid handling systems, whether for paints, gels or gases used in industrial processes. In any situation that requires the precise dispersal of a substance, IEC is well-positioned to deliver complete solutions, from initial planning to customization and installation. More recently, IEC has been working in collaboration with a variety of domestic partners, including Tochigi’s Nissho Engineering, a niche leader in hydrogen production and energy-saving equipment. Helping to integrate the new MG22Eh® energy conversion system into production lines across Japan, IEC utilizes their production base in Laguna, the Philippines, to produce the device under license. “Often, we focus R&D based on the requests of our clients. Some pure manufacturers, however, are unsure of how they can apply their expertise in the best way. In these scenarios, we work together to create entire solutions,” Aoki said. In the sustainability field, the company also maintains strong ties with local governments in Japan and abroad, a strategy Aoki believes is key to widespread implementation. “We have collaborated with the Nagoya City Government in the past, among other authorities. Recently, we received a request from the Hiroshima local government to build a system to handle methane gas. These are great opportunities for us to showcase our potential for further projects in regions such as Thailand and India, with the latter having a large population and, consequently, a significant amount of waste to manage,” Aoki said.  Breathing Life Into the Circular Economy ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/branded-content/global-kigyo/breathing-life-into-the-circular-economy/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/branded-content/global-kigyo/breathing-life-into-the-circular-economy/"},"headline":"Breathing Life Into the Circular Economy","datePublished":"2026-06-18T14:27:50.410Z","dateModified":"2026-06-09T07:28:04.056Z","description":"","url":"https://time.com/branded-content/global-kigyo/breathing-life-into-the-circular-economy/","keywords":[],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[],"articleSection":"","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/branded-content/global-kigyo/breathing-life-into-the-circular-economy/","name":"Breathing Life Into the Circular Economy"}}]}] ```