Kotaro Shimizu received the BS and MS degrees in geology and palaeontology from Waseda University, Japan in 2000 and 2002 respectively. He is the General manager and the Chief analyst in the Sustainable Society Department at Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting Co., Ltd., Japan and is an Expert of the ISO/TC298 -Rare Earth, the TC323 -Circular Economy, the TC333 -Lithium, the TC207/SC5 -TC323/JWG14 -Secondary materials and the TMB/SAG Critical Minerals. He is also currently serving as the vice president of the Rare Earth Industry Association (REIA) and the director of the Circular Economy Association. He researches and analyses social issues and makespolicy recommendations to the ministries of the Japanese government in the field of the procurement and use of natural resources.