Updated by "Forest Circular Economy" Editorial Board on August 26, 2025, 10:30 AM 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.
Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, leader of the National Governors' Association's Domestic Timber Utilization Project Team, visited Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Shinjiro Koizumi and Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Toshiko Abe on August 25, and submitted a proposal for increasing demand for domestic timber. The proposal covers a wide range of issues, from promotion of wood construction for buildings to export expansion, technological development, and human resource development, and aims to achieve both recycling and utilization of forest resources and regional revitalization. The activities of this request clearly show that the minister is seeking strong policy support to position the forest industry as a growth industry and to revitalize local economies and realize a decarbonized society through the use of domestic timber.
The central focus of the proposal was to further promote wood construction and wood quality in the building sector. The proposal includes specific measures to stimulate demand, such as expanding the use of JAS structural lumber and CLTs in accordance with the revised Building Standards Law, strengthening the use of wood in public and educational facilities, and establishing a new "5% for Wood" system (tentative name). These efforts will not only increase the competitiveness of the timber industry, but will also be closely linked to carbon neutral policies through the long-term fixation of carbon and the promotion of energy-efficient buildings.
It is also looking to expand lumber exports and expand into international markets. It calls for the development of manuals that comply with the building standards of exporting countries and the creation of a mechanism to support businesses while closely monitoring the impact of reciprocal tariffs with the United States. Such international efforts are also considered essential for promoting the recycling of excess forest resources in Japan.
The proposal further emphasizes human resource development and technological development. It was proposed to promote the training of architects and municipal officials responsible for nonresidential wood construction and to establish a system to disseminate know-how on the use of wood throughout Japan. In addition, the report emphasizes the need to support research and development for the next generation, including the effective use of large-diameter lumber, research on wood as a new material, and the development of technologies to improve fire resistance and durability.
The National Governors' Association has positioned the expansion of demand for domestic timber as contributing to environmental conservation and disaster prevention through the recycling of forest resources, as well as to combating pollen allergy and improving health. In particular, the association called for the government to provide strong support for the logging and replanting of Japanese cedar planted forests, as this is considered an important means of both combating pollen sources and strengthening the supply of domestic timber.
Reference Links
Request Activities by Project Team Leaders for Utilization of Domestic Timber / National Governors' Association
