Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on May 2010

I come from the US, the land of big portions. Like most Americans, I feel like I’m getting a good deal when I’m served a lot of food at restaurants, because I know that even if I can’t finish everything, I can always get a doggy bag and take the rest home.

Not so here in Japan. Without the option of a takeout box, I’m left with a choice between wasting food or stuffing myself past the point of comfort.

The Doggy Bag Committee is working hard to change that. Recently celebrating its first anniversary, the group approaches the problem of food waste by encouraging both restaurant owners and customers to box up their leftovers.

Wasting food should be a huge concern for the Japanese. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Japan has one of the lowest rates of self-sufficiency among industrialized nations, yet at the same time, about 11 million tons of food each year are just tossed away. So it’s curious that the idea of boxing up leftovers has been slow to catch on.

“The biggest barrier for us is that a lot of people are worried about food poisoning,” DBC representative Asako Hirai tells Metropolis. “Particularly in the upcoming season when the humidity is high, there is a significant risk.”

Hirai explains that the DBC works to educate restaurant owners on what kinds of foods can be safely taken home and reheated. The organization has prepared a comprehensive set of guidelines, available for download on their website, covering everything from world hunger statistics to varieties of food poisoning.

The group’s main push, however, has been creating a demand for doggy bags among consumers. Toward that end, the DBC has teamed up with design firm ReacJapan to create a reusable take-home box. The origami-like design allows customers to carry it in their purse or pocket, assembling only when necessary. The boxes are waterproof and washable, and can be purchased at Tokyu Hands, Ito Yokado and a variety of other locations, including the DBC website. They’re available in various designs and cost as little as ¥400. To help interested customers and supportive businesses find each other, the DBC has created an interactive map that lists shops stocking the bags together with restaurants that allow their use. The Tokyo area boasts a large number of venues, so you may find some eateries in your neighborhood displaying the DBC’s sticker in their window.

With the growing acceptance of doggy bags—and with the economy still in a squeeze—it may be that attitudes among Japanese consumers are changing for good. In a recent survey, the DBC found that 90 percent of respondents were supportive of the idea of taking home leftovers, while only 8 percent had reservations about it.

Hirai stresses that each person who participates in the system can make a difference. “Not leaving the food, but rather taking it home and finishing it, is something that each of us can do to address food and environmental issues.”

My days of agonizing over that last korokke are officially over.

To find out more about the Doggy Bag Committee, see http://doggybag-committee.com (Japanese).