Starting on April 1, 2013, over 70 percent of supermarkets in Shiga Prefecture will charge 5 yen for a plastic shopping bag. Some 150 supermarkets in Shiga, including 71 Heiwado supermarket branches (like Friend Mart), have started charging 5 yen for those ubiquitous plastic shopping bags (レジ袋) for groceries.

This measure aims to reduce waste, obviously. The money collected from shopping bag sales will be used for environmental preservation. Currently, about 50 percent of shoppers bring their own bags for groceries. The prefecture wants to raise this to 80 percent in three years.

So whenever you go grocery shopping in Shiga, the checkout clerk will ask if you want a bag or not. Just bring your own bag and say, “iranai” (no need).

I’m surprised at how late Shiga has implemented this measure. It should’ve been in place at least 20 years ago when you think of the lake where I sometimes see plastic bags polluting it. In Tokyo, they started charging for shopping bags many years ago. It also has an excellent weekly recycling system for old newspapers, magazines, corrugated cardboard boxes, recyclable plastic, Styrofoam trays, glass bottles, PET (plastic) bottles, and tin cans. And most supermarkets accept empty milk cartons.

The only hole in the plan is the convenience stores. They still give out plastic bags for whatever you buy. Of course, I always bring my rucksack or a used bag. Been doing so for most of my time in Japan. I also don’t accept chopsticks when I buy a bento.

Speaking of Heiwado, the AL Plaza mall right next to Otsu Station will close in December 2013 after almost 40 years in business (opened in 1974). It will be replaced by a condominium with a supermarket on the first two floors. The Heart In convenience store at Otsu Station will also close in May 2013. Most of Otsu Station’s 34,000 daily users are only commuters and the area around the station has languished in comparison to the area around Hama-Otsu Station.