Updated by "Forest Circular Economy" Editorial Board on May 13, 2025, 2:32 PM JST
Editorial Board, Forest Circular Economy
Forestcircularity-editor
We aim to realize "Vision 2050: Japan Shines, Forest Circular Economy" promoted by the Platinum Forest Industry Initiative. We will disseminate ideas and initiatives to promote biomass chemistry, realize wooden cities, and encourage innovation in the forestry industry in order to fully utilize forest resources to decarbonize, strengthen economic security, and create local communities.
The Forestry Agency will hold a hands-on exhibit on Japan's smart forestry at Expo '70 Osaka-Kansai's "Future Food and Life Week" from June 8 to 15. The venue is the EXPO Messe "WASSE," and visitors will have a rare opportunity to actually operate and experience state-of-the-art forestry machinery and technology.
The theme of the Forestry Agency's exhibit is "Safe and Fun♪ Growing Forests and Contributing to the Fight against Global Warming. Smart forestry is a next-generation forestry business that utilizes ICT and robot technology to improve efficiency and sophistication in forest management, logging, and removal. This year's exhibition will offer visitors the opportunity to experience the forefront of this new technology.
One of the main attractions of the exhibit is a full-scale simulator that simulates the operation of forestry machinery. Using a training system actually used in the forestry industry, visitors can experience the operation of a wheeled harvester (a multifunctional machine for felling, pruning and cutting branches) and a forwarder (a machine for loading and transporting lumber) in a realistic video and operating environment.
The actual harvester head, which stands approximately 2.5 meters tall and weighs 1.3 tons, will also be on display. The exhibit will be shown along with video footage of the machine in operation, allowing visitors to get a close-up look at the power of this large machine, which is usually only seen deep in the mountains.
In addition, a diorama with a one-tenth scale miniature machine is used to experience the operation of the "remote logging truck," which can be used in severely sloped terrain. This is an enjoyable way to understand the mechanism of technology that enables safe work by remote control in Japanese forests, where heavy machinery is not easily accessible.
In keeping with the theme of the Osaka-Kansai Expo, "Designing a Future Society that Shines with Life," the Forestry Agency's exhibit will showcase the multifaceted contributions that forestry makes to the environment, economy, and society. The goal of smart forestry is to achieve both labor savings and safety, as well as sustainable recycling of forest resources. The exhibition overturns the conventional image of forestry as dangerous and specialized work, not only for forestry workers and industry professionals, but also for the general public.
The introduction of such advanced technology is seen as the key to the industry's revival, especially as the forestry industry faces a serious labor shortage and an aging population, and it is highly significant to show Expo visitors how the forestry industry will support future lifestyles.
