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Biomass ChemistryBiomass Chemistry

Manufacture of chemicals and fuels from biomass produced from forests, plants, and other biological resources

5.20Wed 2026

Commercialization of the "Mass Balance Method" Challenged by Domestic Petrochemical Giants in Importing Bio-Naphtha - Forest Circular Economy and Chemical Industry: Companies' Efforts toward Practical Application of Biomass Chemistry (2)

Previous column: Producing Fuel and Chemical Products from Wood, etc., and Key Points for Commercialization Learned from Leading Overseas Companies - Forest Circular Economy and Chemical [...]...

5.15Fri 2026

Exploring raw biomass (3) Modified lignin produced by "cooking" suitable for materials

Recently, I had the opportunity to enjoy a French or Japanese course meal and began to experience the depth of the culinary culture.

5.1Fri 2026

Forest Resources into High-Value-Added Industrial Materials: Public and Private Sector Progress in Social Implementation Against the Backdrop of the Forestry Agency's Vision [Trends in New Wood-Based Materials 2026].

Against the backdrop of the profitability challenges faced by Japan's forest industry and social demands such as the realization of a decarbonized society, we have been working on the use of components extracted from wood resources to [...].

4.13Mon 2026

From Construction Waste to Aviation Fuel Feedstock, Taking on the Challenge of Wood-Based Bioethanol Business [Biofuel and Feedstock-Related Company Trends 2026].

Efforts to convert to biomass-derived fuels and chemical feedstocks are progressing on the business, supply, technology, and institutional fronts. Sumitomo Forestry [...].

4.6Mon 2026

Proposal] Bioeconomy Strategy to Domestically Produce Fuels and Chemicals from Forest Resources: Raw Material Issues Emerging from the Risks in the Middle East and a Roadmap for a Forest Circular Economy

The destabilization of the Middle East situation over the Strait of Hormuz reiterates the vulnerability of Japan's energy and economic security, which depends on foreign countries for fossil fuels [...].

2.25Wed 2026

Mitsui Fudosan and Nippon Paper Industries to Plant "Clean Larch" Seedlings in Hokkaido, Japan, with a 7-20% Increase in CO2 Fixation Capacity

Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd. and Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd. have jointly developed seedlings of the new "Clean Larch" variety, which has high CO2 fixation capacity, in the forests owned by the two groups in Hokkaido, [...].

2.10Tuesday, 2026

Japan was a "Land of Photosynthesis" - A Vision for a Society Supported by Forests and the Sun by 2050

Today, political divisions are deepening, especially in Europe and the United States, and existing values such as democracy and liberalism are being shaken. Against this backdrop, [...]...

2.9Mon 2026

Turning Unused Wood into Energy: Hita City's Woody Biomass Strategy and Implementation of Forest Recycling

About two-thirds of Japan's land area is forested. The forested area amounts to about 25.02 million hectares (as of the end of March 2022), of which [...].

2.4Wed 2026

Kai City to Use City-origin Renewable Energy to Power 43 Facilities Promoting Local Production and Local Consumption of Wood Biomass Power Generation through Public-Private Partnership

Kai City, Yamanashi Prefecture, will start renewable energy generation by woody biomass power generation using unused wood and other materials in the city as fuel in April.

1.30Fri 2026

Strong Cooperation among Leading Players in Industry, Government, and Academia to Fully Utilize Okayama's Forest Resources [Forest Circular Economy Symposium Report, Part 2

*Click here for the first part of the report: "Okayama Model": Transformation to a Resource Self-Sufficient Nation and Urban Wood Construction, Challenged by Industry-Government-Academia [...] Report of the Symposium on Forest Circular Economy [...

12.26Fri 2025

Producing fuel and chemical products from wood and other materials: Learning key commercialization points from leading overseas companies—Forest Circular Economy and Chemical Industry: Corporate Initiatives Toward Practical Application of Biomass Chemistry (1)

Last time, we introduced biomass conversion technologies. This time, we look at companies that are utilizing these conversion technologies and moving toward practical application [...]

12.12Fri 2025

Tokyo Metro Signs First Virtual PPA for Biomass Power Generation in Subway System New Collaborative Model for "Domestic Wood Utilization" via Urban Infrastructure

Tokyo Metro has partnered with Sano Biomass Power Generation, funded by Kansai Electric Power and others, to develop Japan's first subway project utilizing domestically sourced wood biomass.

12.2Tue 2025

Retorting at room temperature to solve the problem of gibier distribution: Toyo Seikan and others challenge a new circulation model for utilization of wild birds and beasts.

Toyo Seikan Group Holdings, in collaboration with Tsuji Culinary School and the Japan Ghibier Promotion Association, has developed a retort pouch that utilizes retort technology to [...]

11.29Sat 2025

Sendai Port Biomass Power Plant, Japan's Largest Dedicated Wood Biomass Facility, Begins Commercial Operation Four Companies from Different Industries Collaborate to Contribute to Regional Renewable Energy Supply and Carbon Neutrality

Sendai Port Biomass Power LLC, jointly funded by Sumitomo Corporation, Tokyo Gas, Hokuriku Electric Power, and Sumitomo Corporation Tohoku, is constructing [...] in Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture.

9.30Tue 2025

Forest culture of mutual cooperation taking root in Austria, where wood biomass heat supply is spreading [Heat supply business as a basis for local economic circulation 2].

I heard these words more than once during my business trips to Europe: "I don't have that much money saved and I'll be fine" and "The government will take care of me in my old age." [...].

9.18Thu 2025

Biomass Chemistry Advances to the Practical Stage with Various Conversion Technologies - Forest Circular Economy and Chemical Industry (3)

In the previous issue, we overviewed the characteristics of biomass as a resource. In this issue, we will discuss how biomass resources can be used to produce biochemicals and biofuels [...].

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