Japan plans to make it mandatory to charge for plastic shopping bags at supermarkets, convenience stores, drugstores and department stores as the country combats marine pollution from plastic waste.
Environment Minister Yoshiaki Harada said at a news conference Monday his ministry plans to introduce a new law banning the practice of providing single-use plastic bags for free, while leaving the price of a plastic bag up to retailers.
"The proportion of plastic bags among plastic waste is not big, but charging would be symbolic" of Japan's efforts to reduce such waste, said Harada.