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Kinki & Chugoku Area

Ishikawa, Fukui, Shiga, Mie, Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo, Tottori, Okayama, Shimane, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi

7.14Tuesday, 2026

A Town of 3,700 People Receives 120,000 Cubic Meters of Logs Annually: The Timber Complex and Full-Volume Purchase That Transformed the Profitability of Forestry [Nichinan Town: On the Front Lines of Forest Resource Circulation, Part 1]

Nichinan Town, Tottori Prefecture, is a town with a population of about 3,700, facing declining birthrates, an aging population, and depopulation. Its annual timber production, which once stood at about 30,000 cubic meters, now stands at […]

7.13Mon 2026

Enhancing Spatial Value Through the Use of Locally Sourced Wood: Diverse Proposals Ranging from Interior Design to Mobile Solutions [Trends in Wooden Spaces 2026]

Driven by the growing interest in achieving a decarbonized society and promoting well-being, as well as strengthened public-private partnerships spurred by the “Act on the Promotion of Wooden Construction in Cities,” […]

7.6Mon 2026

Wooden Toys Make Their Way into the Lexus Collection: The Intersection of Forests and Society, Expanding into Branding, Tourism, and CSR [Trends in Wood Education 2026]

In recent years, the importance of “Mokuiku”—a program that involves interacting with trees to learn about how forests work—has been gaining renewed attention in various fields. Traditional programs for children […]

6.24Wed 2026

[Reforestation Trends 2026] The Direction Set by the New “Basic Plan for Forests and Forestry”: Laying the Groundwork for a Forest Cycle Driven by Public-Private Partnerships

"Reforestation," which is essential for harnessing the multifaceted functions of forests and establishing sustainable forestry, faces challenges such as rising afforestation costs and a shortage of workers […]

6.22Mon 2026

Forest Women’s Action Conference—Women Shaping Forests and Communities
A Dialogue with Nature, a Way of Life That Challenges Our Values
Friday, July 17, 2026, 12:30 p.m.–2:00 p.m. | Online

“Forest Circular Economy” takes a multifaceted approach to understanding the relationship between forests and society and the economy, and is engaged in "a dialogue of knowledge that bridges the field and society" […]

6.17Wed 2026

There are no young trees. If things continue this way, the timber industry will disappear in 20 years—Togawa Lumber’s Challenge: A Circular Forestry Business Model [This Was the Turning Point]

"Right now, more than 80 percent of the trees are 50 years old or older, and there are no young trees. If things continue this way, in 20 years, all jobs related to timber will disappear […]

6.10Wed 2026

Okayama Model Leading the Way to a Circular Forest Economy - The Seriousness of Industry, Government, Academia and Money Will Change Japan into a Resource Self-Sufficient Nation

*Previous column hereRegional National Universities Become Hubs for Social Implementation - Facing Local Challenges with Data and Practice Industry-Government-Academia-Gold in Okayama [...].

6.8Mon 2026

Forestry Agency Releases Simplified Assessment Method to Show "Numerical Value" of Forest Water Resources Recharge [Forest x Nature Positive Trends 2026].

The movement to realize "Nature Positive" (nature revitalization) is developing from multiple angles, transcending the boundaries of the national government, local governments, and private companies [...].

6.2Tuesday, 2026

Trends in the Utilization of Large-Diameter Timber 2026] Expanding Uses in Public Spaces and Furniture: Value-Added Applications in Hardwoods and Traditional Architecture

As Japan's planted forests enter the period of full-scale utilization, the effective use of thickly grown "large-diameter lumber" has become an urgent issue. Until now, [...]...

5.28Thu 2026

# Daily Life of a Forestry Girl] Long Sleeves Required Even in Extreme Heat: Equipment and Ingenuity Supporting Summer Jobsites

Forestry is a work that faces nature and is therefore strongly affected by the climate. Especially in the summer, work continues in the hot and humid forests, and the body [...]...

5.22Fri 2026

Local National Universities Become Hubs for Social Implementation - Facing Local Issues with Data and Practice

He spoke at the Nikkei Regional Development Forum "Creating Wooden Town Development and Realizing Forest Circular Economy" held in Okayama City in March, where he discussed the industrial [...]...

5.19Tuesday, 2026

GX-ETS Trends 2026] System Operation in Full Swing with Phase 2 Transition; Verification System and Trading Infrastructure Established for Emissions Trading Market Formation

The Emissions Trading Scheme (GX-ETS), a core component of Japan's decarbonization strategy, has moved into its second phase beginning in FY2026. The previous [...].

5.18Mon 2026

Feel "I'm alive" in the forest. The Realities of "Forest Work" as Told by Nine Women Facing Nature through Diverse Approaches [Forest Circular Economy Talk Live Report].

Online Event "Circular Forest Economy Talk Live Vol.2 Women Creating Forest Work - Practices Connecting Forests and Communities [...].

5.8Fri 2026

Municipality-led Government-Hunter Collaboration Begins Wide-area Cooperation and DX to Tackle Bear and Deer Damage [Trends in Bird and Wildlife Control 2026].

In recent years, as the increase in bear appearances and damage to forestry and agriculture caused by deer and wild boars have become increasingly serious, the conventional approach of relying on "human power" in the field of countermeasures [...].

5.7Thu 2026

Forestry Education: "Growing up in the Forest, Growing up in the Forest" Forestry Education: Moving to Chigashira, a forestry area, as an alternative to "Rural Kosodate" (countryside education)

Since 2009, we have been involved in the upbringing of children and people in Chigashira-cho, Tottori Prefecture, through our activities called "Morino no Yochien" (Forest Playground). I have been involved in the development of children in the mountain village of [...].

4.27Mon 2026

Forestry Agency's Implementation Vision and Private Solution Drive Forest Information Digitization [Forestry DX Trends 2026].

The move toward the digitalization of forest information and forestry management is accelerating in both the public and private sectors. In March, the Forestry Agency announced that smart forestry and new wood-based [...].

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