In this photo taken on May 14, 2026, Ippei Kobayashi, president and representative director of Hamaya second-hand wholesale auction company, looks on during an interview with AFP in Higashimatsuyama, Saitama Prefecture. Under a scorching sun in a Bangkok suburb, a whistle blows and shouts fill the air as dozens of shoppers rush into a warehouse bearing the sign: "Japanese Second-Hand Store". From bags and bicycles to surfboards and suitcases, the Japanese second-hand market is booming, with quality-conscious buyers in other Asian countries increasingly tapping into the circular economy trend. (Photo by Andrew CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP via Getty Images) / To go with "JAPAN-LIFESTYLE-ENVIRONMENT-RECYCLE,FOCUS' by Montira Rungjirajittranon with Kyoko Hasegawa