By Masaki Sugiyama / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

MUFG Bank Ltd. signed a memorandum with materials manufacturer AGC Inc. on Thursday to jointly promote a circular economy for resources such as glass.

The Japanese firms aim to expedite the reuse and recycling of resources highly dependent on foreign trade to reduce risks in procurement. They also believe the move will help reduce the burden on the environment.

As the first step in their cooperation, the two companies will conduct a pilot test in which photovoltaic glass will be recycled.

AGC plans to put its photovoltaic glass technology into practical use during the next fiscal year, which starts in April. Based on the memorandum, MUFG Bank will consider financially supporting AGC to develop supply chains.

The two companies also envision circular economies for materials made from fluorite that are essential for making semiconductor manufacturing equipment.

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This article is from The Yomiuri Shimbun. Neither Dow Jones Newswires, MarketWatch, Barron's nor The Wall Street Journal were involved in the creation of this content.

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January 30, 2026 06:15 ET (11:15 GMT)

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