Japan, March 31 -- Panasonic Energy Co., Ltd., a Panasonic Group Company, today announced the launch of a recycling initiative for nickel used in lithium-ion battery cathode materials, in collaboration with Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd., a leading Japanese non-ferrous metal smelting and refining, and cathode material manufacturer. This marks the first closed-loop recycling initiative-where end-of-life products are reprocessed into raw materials and reused in the same type of product- in the production of automotive batteries by Panasonic Energy. Following the ongoing partnership cemented with Redwood Materials Inc. in the United States in 2022, this collaboration represents a key milestone in the acceleration of recycling efforts in Japan...