The three prefectures of Gifu, Aichi and Mie and Nagoya City form the Tokai region of Japan. Japan for Sustainability reports that these four local governments established a Green Purchasing Campaign Executive Committee in cooperation with the Japan Chain Stores Association Chubu Branch, and conducted a green purchasing campaign from January 15 to February 15, 2005 to raise awareness about green purchasing among local residents before the opening of the World Exposition 2005, Aichi, Japan. The Expo will run from March 25 through September 25, 2005.

The campaign conveyed a message about green purchasing to consumers by offering for sale soap or detergent refills and other eco-friendly products at about 2,800 stores including chain stores, department stores, convenience stores, drugstores, home centers and supermarkets. Posters and in-store announcements also informed consumers about the positive side of reducing environmental impacts. The committee carried out a questionnaire survey on green purchasing during the campaign as well.

This is a landmark project in Japan in that several prefectures, a city government and private enterprises cooperated to carry out a broad-based green purchasing campaign across prefectural borders. This year was the third time around for this campaign; last year about 2,400 stores; even more stores, including home centers and supermarkets, participated this year