Takehiro Usui

Please introduce yourself.

I'm from the Tajima region in the north of Hyogo Prefecture. It's a place rich in nature, and when I was a child, I would play adventures in the mountains behind the mountains, and play with crayfish and fish on the riverbanks. At school, I would play games with my friends, learning the names of countries and capital cities. What's the capital of Chad? N'Djamena, for example (lol).

Please tell us about your research.

I am researching the effects of a policy that charges for household waste. I am measuring how much waste is reduced and how much recycling is increased by introducing a fee for waste, etc. using statistical analysis methods.

What kind of contributions to society do you expect as your research progresses?

It is often used as a basis when municipalities introduce fee policies.

What can you learn in the seminar?

Although I specialize in environmental economics, I am also studying a wide range of local initiatives through hands-on experience. For example, in March I went on a fieldwork trip to Fukushima and Ibaraki with students. Together with the students, we created and are running the "Hachioji Children's Cafeteria" as an initiative to support and look after local children.

Please say a few words to all the students.

Become interested in various social issues and visit difficult places. Then you will be able to see the real problems. If you visit the places many times and get a real feel for them, they will become your own problem.