By Koichi Yoshizuka, CEO, QRIE Ltd.
The Japan Cartridge Remanufacturers Association (AJCR) has released its latest statistics for 2024, reaffirming the long-term decline in Japan’s remanufactured toner cartridge market.
The continued drop in volumes reflects structural market changes and lends context to recent strategic decisions within the industry.
According to AJCR, total shipments of remanufactured toner cartridges by member companies fell to 3.617 million units in 2024, or 94.5% of the previous year’s total. This confirms a steady downward trajectory from the market peak of 5.9 million units in 2014.
Segment breakdown:
- Monochrome cartridges: 2.521 million units, with a reuse rate of 35.2% (down slightly from 35.9% in 2023)
- Colour cartridges: 1.096 million units, with a reuse rate steady at 11.8%
- Overall reuse rate: 22.0%, down from 26.4% a decade ago
The numbers clearly point to long-term structural pressures, including digitisation, paperless business workflows, and changing office print behaviour.
On 21 May 2025, AJCR held its 12th Annual General Assembly at the Vision Centre in Shinagawa, Tokyo. The meeting included formal reports, executive updates, and a renewed emphasis on the environmental contribution of cartridge reuse.
The highlight of the environmental report was a CO₂ savings estimate: through the reuse of plastic toner cartridge housings in 2024, AJCR member companies helped reduce carbon emissions by approximately 4,876 metric tons—the equivalent of what 350,000 Japanese cedar trees absorb annually.
AJCR President Toshimitsu Hayashi, in his opening remarks, recognised the resilience and ongoing efforts of member companies amid market contraction, noting that the association’s 25th anniversary marks a critical juncture in its history.
The event concluded with a networking reception, welcoming new members and celebrating long-standing contributors to Japan’s circular economy.
The overall picture drawn from AJCR’s 2024 data is clear: Japan’s reuse toner market is undergoing a sustained and irreversible transformation. Declining demand, stable-to-falling reuse rates, and structural headwinds continue to reshape the industry landscape.
Recent announcements, such as Pilot Corporation’s decision to withdraw from the toner recycling business by the end of 2025, should be viewed in this broader context. Even well-established and trusted brands must reconsider their long-term strategies when faced with shrinking volumes and fundamental market shifts.
Rather than a retreat, such moves reflect a rational response to enduring change. For the reuse sector, the challenge now lies in identifying new forms of value, new areas of contribution, and new ways to support sustainability in an increasingly digital world.
The data is now available on the AJCR website https://www.ajcr.jp/statistics/.
