Decline of Japan's Forestry Industry and Forest Devastation - December 2006

Decline of Japan's Forestry Industry and Forest Devastation - December 2006

Japan's massive timber imports have not only contributed to the destruction of tropical forests, but have also caused the decline of the domestic forestry industry and the devastation of planted forests and satoyama (woodlands). Of the 25.12 million hectares of forest area, which is equivalent to about two-thirds of Japan's land area, approximately 40%, or 10.36 million hectares, are planted forests. Abandoned planted forests, however, have been causing serious problems, such as the decline of water source recharge function, loss of biodiversity, topsoil runoff, and landslides.

In response to this situation, the Forest and Forestry Basic Law was enacted in 2001, and a recovery plan was formulated that included environmental conservation of forests. However, five years have passed since the law was enacted, yet the goals of restoring forest functions and promoting forestry have not been achieved. Certain results were seen in the five-year emergency thinning program that began in FY2000, which promoted thinning. In addition, as part of the measures to prevent global warming, a 10-year forest sink program was implemented from FY 2005, and 300,000 hectares were planned to be thinned over a three-year period.

The new basic plan identified (1) strengthening the domestic timber supply system, (2) developing timber products that meet market needs, and (3) promoting the use of timber as a biomass resource as priority measures. Regarding imported timber, in February 2006, the Forestry Agency released "Guidelines for Certification of Legality and Sustainability of Timber and Timber Products," which calls for forest certification and control of distribution channels in order to promote the elimination of illegally harvested timber.

One measure to revitalize the forestry industry in Japan is to expand the use of small-diameter timber. In particular, cedar and larch planted in the 1950s have grown, increasing the supply of domestic softwoods. This is expected to increase the use of thinned timber and improve planted forests. However, the number of forestry workers is decreasing and aging, and mountain villages are depopulating, making it necessary to improve productivity. according to the 2005 Census of Agriculture and Forestry, only 11% of forestry operations are managed by corporations, but they are responsible for 44% of material production, and there is a need to consolidate the scale of operations.

In order to improve productivity in the forestry industry, it is necessary to establish a stable supply system for timber. The Nishi-Kyushu Lumber Cooperative has organized the entire process from the collection of logs to the manufacture and sale of laminated timbers, thereby achieving efficient distribution. In addition, there have been reports of cases where the introduction of sophisticated forestry machinery has reduced the production cost of thinned timber by 20-30%. Furthermore, the development of new building materials using thinned wood is progressing, and Shinwa Lumber Industries of Gifu Prefecture has developed a wood material called "S-Wood" to expand the market for environmentally friendly building materials.

In terms of energy use, boilers and woody biomass power generation facilities that utilize forest residues and offcuts are on the rise. In the future, the development of technology to convert woody biomass into ethanol is expected to open up new possibilities for the forest industry. Proper use of forest resources and the establishment of sustainable forestry will also lead to the conservation of water resources and the maintenance of ecosystems.