OfficeBusters transforms used desks, chairs, and gear into valuable assets—offering rental, refurbishment, design, and disposal services—blending circular economy smarts with practical solutions for greener, smarter offices.
To begin, I would like to ask about the office furniture market. Around the world we see different business approaches: in some regions, furniture is designed to be low-cost, easily replaced, and often discarded after only a short period of use, as exemplified by companies like IKEA. In contrast, there is also a growing awareness of alternatives that focus on reuse and refurbishment, which emphasize durability, quality, and long-term value. From my understanding, Officebusters takes a position that is almost the opposite of the disposable model, offering high-quality reused furniture, carefully restored and given a new lifecycle. Could you explain how you see the long-term value of this model compared with the constant cycle of buying and discarding inexpensive furniture?
First, unlike home furniture, office furniture is deeply affected by the fact that companies relocate frequently. In Japan, it is said that companies move offices on average once every five years. That means a company may purchase 100 or even 200 chairs, but within just three to five years, when they relocate, all those chairs must be moved again. If the furniture is fragile, it could be damaged in the moving process, representing a substantial financial loss. For this reason, office furniture has traditionally been made to be very durable—so that it can survive several moves.
In Japan, durability has an additional dimension. This is my personal observation, but because of earthquakes, Japanese companies avoid fragile wooden shelving or cabinets that might collapse. Instead, they prefer robust steel furniture that can withstand both earthquakes and the heavy loads of documents. And Japanese offices—especially large corporations—still manage a vast amount of paperwork. Even when I worked in the United States, I noticed that filing cabinets there sometimes gave way under the weight of documents. In Japan, by contrast, offices are designed to hold enormous volumes of paper securely. So the first key point is that in Japan, office furniture has always been expected to be exceptionally sturdy and durable.
The second point is related to work style. In recent years, Japan has placed strong emphasis on “Work Style Reform,” because the country’s white-collar productivity has long been considered low compared with global standards. The reform movement has encouraged companies to rethink office environments: the layout, the types of desks and chairs, and how spaces are designed to improve productivity. This trend was further accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic and by a growing awareness of crisis management. Companies now need to be able to flexibly scale their workplaces up or down in response to sudden changes.
This flexibility, however, presents a challenge: if companies constantly purchase and discard furniture, the costs and waste become enormous. That is why there is increasing recognition of the value of reusing and refurbishing durable furniture. Renting and circular use models are gaining traction, because they allow companies to adapt quickly without unnecessary waste. In short, the combination of durability on one hand and the demand for flexibility on the other has created strong momentum for our circular, integrated services.
That’s very clear. If we consider the structure of the Japanese economy, about 99% of companies are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), while only about 1% are large corporations. Traditionally, the high-quality office furniture you described has been used primarily by large enterprises, while smaller firms often cannot afford it. How does your business model help SMEs and startups access better furniture and reduce their costs?
Japan’s economy is overwhelmingly made up of SMEs. And yet, historically, only large corporations have been able to afford premium office furniture. Our model changes this. I often compare it to cars: you may not be able to afford a brand-new Mercedes, but in the used market, suddenly it becomes accessible. The same is true of office chairs. Through reuse, SMEs can purchase top-class chairs that they could never consider new. These premium chairs are not just about prestige—they make a real difference to daily life. A well-designed chair reduces fatigue, supports the back during long hours at a computer, and ultimately improves productivity and well-being.
Another important factor is delivery. Recently, manufacturers have been reducing inventory and adjusting production, which has led to longer lead times. Raw material costs and supply chain complexity have made it increasingly difficult for companies to deliver quickly. By contrast, with circular and reused furniture, the products already exist. We can provide them immediately, which is highly valued by SMEs that need agility.
There is also a disaster-response dimension. Japan is prone to earthquakes, floods, and other natural disasters. When companies or government agencies need to rapidly set up emergency offices or disaster response centers, they cannot wait for new furniture to be manufactured and delivered. With our existing stock of reused furniture, we can supply what is needed immediately. So in multiple ways—cost, speed, quality, and resilience—we are able to support SMEs and contribute to society at large.
Let us now turn to your international expansion. Officebusters has already established a presence in the Philippines. Within the context of the global circular economy movement, which aspects of your services are proving most important internationally?
One of the first points I would highlight is again durability. Japanese office furniture is known for being extremely strong and long-lasting. In the Philippines, for example, where natural disasters such as floods and typhoons are frequent, durability is highly valued. Customers there appreciate that Japanese furniture can endure harsh conditions better than many overseas products. What is also fascinating is how our products are used differently depending on the country. In the Philippines, Japanese steel office tables and cabinets are sometimes even used in private homes as dining furniture, simply because they are so robust and practical.
Our experience within Japan has taught us that regional preferences vary. In Kyushu, for example, people tend to prefer larger furniture, whereas in Tokyo, smaller, more compact items are in demand. The same principle applies internationally: what is unwanted in one market may be exactly what another market values. That is where our reuse model creates real value—by matching supply and demand across borders. Looking forward, I believe the reverse will also happen. Just as Scandinavian vintage furniture has become highly desirable in Japan, items reused abroad may acquire new appeal when brought into the Japanese market. By establishing overseas bases, we can discover and circulate such items, creating new value in unexpected ways.
That makes sense. Looking ahead, do you have a specific timeline for expanding further into other countries, such as Singapore or Cambodia?
To be honest, it is a little too early to provide a concrete timeline. We are currently reviewing our capital policy and corporate structure, and once that is settled, we will be in a better position to speak about detailed expansion plans. Our ambitions are certainly international, but the exact schedule will depend on these strategic considerations.
Partnerships are another area of interest. In a previous discussion you emphasized their importance, and I understand you already work with partners such as JAMP for financial solutions, as well as interior design and construction partners. Are you currently seeking new partnerships either in Japan or abroad?
Partnerships are central to our business model. Domestically, we are particularly interested in collaborating with real estate companies—both owners and operators of office buildings—because together we can create more efficient and attractive workplace environments. Internationally, we see strong potential in working with trading companies that specialize in office equipment and fixtures. Such collaborations would allow us to manage import and export more effectively and expand the circular flow of office furniture globally.
In addition to furniture itself, you also provide consulting and construction management services. Could you explain how these services help clients reduce costs and what benefits they receive from your expertise?
There are three main points that differentiate our approach. First, when a company relocates, there is the “old office” and the “new office.” Traditionally, everything left in the old office would simply be discarded. Our approach is to minimize that waste. By buying back fixtures and furniture from the old office, we reduce disposal costs and deliver immediate financial benefit to the client. Second, when setting up the new office, we help clients procure furniture and equipment by combining new and reused items. This allows them to obtain high-quality products at significantly lower cost. Third, we offer flexibility. Many companies are not certain what layout, style, or equipment will best suit them. We allow trial rentals of premium furniture, so clients can test what works before committing. And if their needs change, we can adjust colors, types, and configurations. Together, these three elements—reducing waste in the old office, lowering procurement costs in the new office, and ensuring flexibility—are the core benefits of our consulting and management services.
Finally, let me ask a forward-looking question. If we were to meet again five years from now, what would you like to be able to tell us about Officebusters’ progress?
Five years from now, I would like to say that we have firmly established a new standard of “sustainable design” in workplaces. By that I mean creating an environment where using circular, reused, and refurbished items is not just practical but also considered stylish and aspirational. Beyond furniture, our vision extends to buildings themselves. In Tokyo and other cities, new office towers continue to be constructed at a pace that exceeds the growth of the working population. Already we see a serious problem with vacant housing, and I believe in the near future we will also face a problem of vacant office buildings.
Rather than letting these buildings go to waste, our ambition is to renovate them, integrate sustainable design, and give them new life. This approach reduces demolition waste, revitalizes urban spaces, and creates workplaces that people are proud to inhabit. So, five years from now, I hope you will be able to visit us and see not only our furniture but also entire office buildings that we have transformed into sustainable, vibrant workplaces. That is the future we are working toward.
Thank you very much.
For more information, please visit their website at: https://www.officebusters.com/
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