Updated by "Forest Circular Economy" Editorial Board on July 25, 2025, 6:45 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 woody and lumbery communities, and encourage innovation in the forestry industry in order to fully utilize forest resources to decarbonize the economy, strengthen economic security, and create local communities.
The national challenges facing Japan today - carbon neutrality by 2050, regional sustainability, and resource self-sufficiency. Common to all of these is the need to redesign society based on "circulation. The key to this is found in "forests" in the new book "Forest Circular Economy" edited by Hiroshi Komiyama (published by Heibonsha). Based on the "Vision 2050: Forest Circular Economy, where Japan Shines" formulated by the Platinum Forest Industry Initiative of the Platinum Initiative Network, the book describes a vision to revitalize Japan as a "resource self-sufficient nation" by placing forest resources at the center of economy, industry, region, and policy and by rebuilding a cycle of "cutting, using, planting, and cultivating". The vision is for Japan to regenerate itself as a "resource self-sufficient nation.
What we advocate in this book is the construction of a completely new recycling-oriented society with forests as its starting point. The three pillars for achieving this goal are "conversion to biomass chemistry," "formation of wooden cities," and "innovation in the forestry industry. Specifically, we aim to "eliminate the use of fossil resources in the chemical industry," "convert buildings of nine stories or less to woody materials and wood construction," and "triple the area of main forests and reforestation.
Through these efforts, we are creating a system that repeats the cycle and regeneration of forest resources by "cutting down, using, planting, and nurturing," thereby achieving a decarbonized society by 2050 and clearly outlining a path toward regional development and the transformation of Japan into a resource self-sufficient nation.
This book is more than just theory; each chapter connects conception to practice, with initiatives by companies at the forefront of the industry.
Chapter 1 provides an overview of the overall picture of the recycling society supported by Japan's forests and raises the issue of the role of Japanese trees and forests in terms of carbon dioxide fixation.
Chapters 2 through 4 provide detailed explanations of the challenges and innovation potential in each of the three key areas of "biomass chemistry," "wooden cities," and "forestry," and include specific examples of initiatives by leading companies in each field and interviews with experts.
Chapter 5 presents a concrete vision of the future in 2050, which will be realized through "full utilization of forest resources" as set forth by the Platinum Forest Industry Initiative, and the end of the book includes a special dialogue between the editor, Hiroshi Komiyama, and Professor Satoshi Tachibana of Kyoto University Graduate School of Agriculture. The book goes beyond mere economic theory to reexamine the deep relationship between forests and the Japanese people.
This book is a proposal that encourages a shift to a society that "uses forests to protect forests" while at the same time questioning the challenges facing Japan's forests and their hidden potential. It is a book that provides guidelines and inspiration for action for all those who want to connect forests and trees to the future.
[To businesspersons].
It is full of tips on carbon neutrality, forest credits, sustainable construction using wood, biomass chemistry, and other topics that will open up the next generation of markets. It will help you develop business strategies that combine decarbonization and economic viability.
[To the researcher].
The book covers concepts and case studies related to advanced utilization of biomass resources, urban wood construction, and forestry innovation, and can be used as a practical resource for applied research and social implementation. It provides a bird's-eye view of social design with forests as the starting point.
[To government and policy makers]
It provides a perspective on policy design related to forest environment taxes, promotion of wood use, and creation of decarbonized cities. The resource recycling perspective of "logging, using, planting, and growing" is useful for creating sustainable regional policies and systems.
<Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Recycling Society Supported by Japan's Forests
Chapter 2: Forest Circulation Economics (1) Potential of Biomass Chemistry
Column:
Biomass Resources as the Core of Business and Society (Masafumi Adschiri)
From Setouchi, aiming for CN in 2050 (Tokuyama Corporation)
Manufacturing and Public Value Starting with Forests (Oji Holdings Co., Ltd.)
Chapter 3: Circular Forest Economy (2) New Town Form: Wooden City
Column:
Building "Wooden Cities (R)" throughout Japan! (Shelter Inc.)
Forestry Revitalization Aimed at by Enhancing the Wood Cycle (Sumitomo Forestry Co., Ltd.)
The Conceptual Power to Link Forests and Cities (Obayashi Corporation)
Chapter 4: Forest Circular Economy (3) Toward Innovation in Forestry and Forest Products
Column:
The Forest as a Starting Point, Its Management and Challenges (Yasunao Kobayashi)
Resource Utilization, Efficiency, Environment, and DX (Asia Koso Co., Ltd.)
Chapter 5: The Future of Full Utilization of Forest Resources
Special Talk: Satoshi Tachibana and Hiroshi Komiyama
To create a "forest culture" that is also economically viable
