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Local RevitalizationLocal Revitalization

Japanese cities, towns, and villages promoting regional development through forestry and timber industry

2.12Thu 2026

Maate, Kanaate...Why does Ishikawa Prefecture's tree "Ate" have several names? Formation of a regional timber brand as seen in Noto Hiba (Hiba spicata)

It is known that the names of plants have regional characteristics (dialects) and are related to the history of how the species was introduced and used as a resource [...].

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 [...].

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 [...

1.29Thu 2026

Forest Circular Economy Talk Live Vol.2
Women Creating Forest Work - Practical Conference on Connecting Forests and Communities
Friday, February 27, 2026, 12:30 - 14:00, Online

In order to sustainably utilize Japan's forest resources, it is essential to make decisions and implement them on the ground, turning harvesting, utilization, and regeneration into an integrated [...].

1.27Tuesday, 2026

Nature Positive Demonstration in a 50-hectare Gunma Forest: Hitachi Systems and Prefectural Federation of Forestry Cooperatives Visualize Biodiversity through Environmental DNA Analysis and Forest Analysis

Hitachi Systems, in collaboration with the Gunma Forest Union and Sunlit Seedlings, a Kyoto University startup, has announced the launch of a forest [...]...

1.22Thu 2026

Nagasaki Forest-Derived J-Credits Used as Logistics Fuel Kignas Sekiyu Begins Demonstration to Offset 10% of Diesel Fuel

Kignas Sekiyu K.K. has begun demonstration sales of carbon offset fuel using forest-derived J-credits created by the Nagasaki Forestry Corporation [...].

1.17Sat 2026

Kawachinagano City's Challenge: Forest Circulation Model to "Protect, Earn, and Grow" Four-Party Public-Private Partnership to Create Osaka Prefecture's First Forest-Derived J-Credits

Kawachinagano City in Osaka Prefecture is working with Creation, Sumitomo Forestry, and NTT Docomo Business to create forest-based J-credits [...].

1.15Thu 2026

Chugoku Bank and Bi-Will take on the challenge of "J-Credit for local production for local consumption": Circulating the value of forests in Okayama, Hiroshima, and Shimane through finance

Bi-Will recently began offering J-credits for a new financial product developed by the Chugoku Bank. Created in the Chugoku and Shikoku regions [...].

1.13Tuesday, 2026

The Okayama Model": Transforming Japan into a Nation Self-Sufficient in Resources and Urban Wood Construction, Challenged by Industry, Government, and Academia [Report on the Symposium on Forest Circular Economy, Part 1

While issues such as stagnant demand for domestic lumber and a shortage of forestry leaders are becoming apparent nationwide, the company boasts the nation's largest production of Japanese cypress and has a CLT (direct [...]].

12.17Wed 2025

Preserving Vanished Mountain Trails for Future Generations: The Challenge of Totsukawa Village's Nishikumano Kaido Revitalization Project

The Kii Mountains, stretching from southern Nara Prefecture into Wakayama and Mie Prefectures, form one of Japan's most extensive forests, characterized by deep woodlands and steep ridges [...]

12.5Fri 2025

Shochu Lees and Coffee Grounds Nurture Miyakonojo's Forests Kirishima Shuzo, Starbucks, Miyakonojo City, and more trees Launch Resource Recycling Project

Kirishima Shuzo and Starbucks Coffee Japan will open a collaborative facility, "KIRIS [...]," scheduled to open in January 2026.

12.5Fri 2025

【#: The Daily Lives of Women in Forestry】 Women Entrepreneurs' Challenge for Sustainable Forests and Communities

The forestry industry has long been dominated by “hereditary” and “family-run” businesses, and starting a business from scratch remains a minority practice even today. This is especially true for female entrepreneurs [...]

12.1Mon 2025

Implementation Strategy for the "Forest Circular Economy" Advancing in Okayama — The "Okayama Model": Collaboration Between Local Timber, CLT, and Universities [December 22 Symposium]

The environment surrounding the forestry industry is becoming increasingly challenging, with factors such as sluggish demand for domestic timber and population decline. On the other hand, decarbonization and economic security perspectives [...]

11.22Sat 2025

Goto Connect Carbon Credits Program Launches to Value Regional Circulation and Biodiversity Goto City and Four Private Partners Sign Agreement

Goto City, Nagasaki Prefecture, is collaborating with four private entities—iForest, Somabayashi, Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd., and the general incorporated association Mitsumeru Tabi—on a joint project titled "Goto [...]"

11.19Wed 2025

Forest Circular Economy Talk Live Vol.1
How to Revive Local Forests: Learning from the Right Tree in the Right Place, Born of the French Forestry Industry
Friday, December 12, 2025 20:00-21:30|Online

The "Forest Circular Economy Talk Live" program will be held in conjunction with practitioners involved in the forest industry and regional economies, sharing their wisdom and practical examples of dealing with issues in the field.

11.17Mon 2025

Geothermal Power Generation: A Circulation Model of Local Production for Local Consumption New Possibilities for Forest Resources Demonstrated by the Independence of Minami-Kayabe and the Cooperative Model of Okuhida

In the domestic geothermal power industry, small- to medium-scale, self-sustaining models have begun to emerge. The symbolic examples are Minami-Kayabe in Hokkaido and Okuhida in Gifu [...].

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