As we face up to the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, we have been reminded that the planet is a finite resource.

Over the past few years, Japan and many other countries and regions around the world have begun to accelerate their efforts toward achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and realizing a sustainable economy through changing and improving the nature of society.

The keys to these efforts are creative collaboration and the circular economy. To successfully implement these efforts, we must move on from the conventional linear process of resource exploitation, manufacturing, and disposal, to a socially oriented circular system focused on the 4Rs, which supplements the well-known concept of the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, and recycle) with a fourth “R”: renewable.

The realization of a socially oriented circular system is not simply a question of recycling waste. Each and every one of us must shift our value standards toward responsible manufacturing and responsible use. Progress toward decarbonization that focuses on the whole vehicle lifecycle depends on us questioning conventional wisdom, looking at things from new perspectives, and taking on the challenges involved through a process of creative collaboration with new partners.

We must ask ourselves, “What technologies will make people and the world happy?” and work to build new value chains with these partners.

We hope that everyone involved in the world of cars can meet at the Automotive Engineering Exposition 2024 and showcase our collective wisdom.