Mottainai: Japan's Eco-Friendly Philosophy

Mazda Stories explores the ancient culture of mottainai and how it’s inspiring Mazda to strive towards a sustainable future.

Mottainai is a centuries-old Japanese philosophy that embraces the idea of respecting resources and their value while also reducing waste. Its origins derive from two words – mottai (importance or sanctity) and nai (lack of something). Together they form the expression “what a waste” or “don’t be wasteful”.

Acts of mottainai can range from those in the household – reducing water waste and reusing delicate washi paper for gift wrapping – to art forms such as using old kimonos to make fans, chopstick holders and nuno zori (slippers). Perhaps one of the most beautiful and ingenious acts of mottainai is kintsugi. The process uses lacquer sprinkled with powdered gold or other metals to repair broken pottery, making a feature of the item’s scars rather than hiding them (pictured above). Mottainai has even infiltrated Japan’s culinary scene, with restaurants including Tokyo’s Uoharu purchasing imperfect fish from Toyosu market that would otherwise be thrown away. And Japanese town Kamikatsu has truly embraced the mottainai philosophy following its Zero Waste Declaration, with 45 recycling categories bringing its recycling rate up to 80 per cent compared to Japan’s overall 20 per cent. 

In 2005, activist Professor Wangari Maathai brought mottainai to international attention, after she introduced it as the slogan for an environmental protection campaign at a United Nations summit. The campaign successfully influenced government policy around the world against the production and use of non-recyclable thin plastic materials. Maathai’s campaign to be less wasteful embraced the practice known as the three Rs – recycle, reduce and reuse – while also adding a fourth R for respect for nature. And it’s this concept that’s inspired Mazda’s multi-solution approach to work towards a greener future.

REDUCE

Mazda has spent years developing its award-winning engine technologies to reduce its environmental impact, and has no plans to stop anytime soon. From its energy-efficient Skyactiv range to the wider uptake of renewable fuels, Mazda’s green powertrains reached new heights when the company unveiled its most environmentally friendly vehicle to date – the all-electric MX-30. And in 2021, Mazda became the first automotive manufacturer to join Europe’s eFuel alliance.

This association contributes to the expansion and promotion of CO₂-neutral e-fuels and hydrogen to help reduce emissions in the transport sector. In addition, because Mazda knows how much owners love their cars, the company wants to promote a culture of longevity, so owners can enjoy their vehicles for many years to come. This has led to the creation of the MX-5 restoration programme, which launched in 2017. Much loved first-generation roadsters are fully refurbished over the course of three months by a team of dedicated craftsmen. This encourages owners across the world to maintain their vehicles and recognise their value.

RECYCLE

Many car manufacturers are required to recycle resources and vehicle parts by law, but Mazda set the blueprint with its innovative bumper-to-bumper recycling technology. In the early 1990s Mazda began creating bumpers with easy-to-recycle designs in mind, as an eco-friendly solution to help recycle end-of-life vehicles. By 2011 Mazda had become the world’s first automaker to successfully recycle bumpers into new plastic vehicle parts, with the recycled materials making their debut in the Mazda Biante minivan’s rear bumper.

More than 57,100 bumpers have been collected from dealerships throughout Japan and utilised to create bumpers, undercovers, splash shields and plastic parts in engine bays. Mazda has also established an efficient system to collect and process end-of-life bumpers, which can be more difficult to recycle due to their age and material make-up. Last year Mazda worked with Japanese company ACE on a suitcase prototype made from recycled materials from its bumpers for Japanese travel bag brand PROTECA.

RESPECT FOR NATURE

In a continued effort to promote more sustainable driving and protect natural resources, Mazda is working towards a worldwide goal of electrifying all its vehicles by 2030*. Mazda recently announced that the addition of a rotary generator to the MX-30 EV will be rolled out globally to all markets. A rotary range extender will increase the existing range by charging the vehicle’s battery through the electricity generated from the rotary engine. The increased cruising range will allow vehicles to travel greater distances without the need to recharge as frequently. This allows Mazda drivers to maintain the joy of effortless driving, while improving the vehicle’s practicality and environmental performance for years to come.

^{*By 2030 all new vehicles will be equipped with some form of electrification, and many vehicles will continue to operate with an internal combustion engine.}