Special Focus: Forestry

Topics:

The forestry related industry in Japan incorporates a large variety of subsectors, reaching from log production to paper and pulp industries and mushroom growing operations. Until recently, Japan prioritised imports of wooden products over domestic forestry operations, but the country is getting increasingly aware of its own forestry resources and the future potential for a self-sufficient market. Some companies have also started to look into ways to promote Japanese forestry products abroad, as the demand for Japanese wood, paper and alike is steadily getting higher. To read more, please click on the link below: 

About Forestry & Paper

With two-thirds of the land area covered in forests, Japan is rich in forestry resources. The country has long been cultivating and planting forests, and the stock of trees ready for harvest is increasing. After prioritising the import of wooden materials from overseas for a long time, the country is becoming increasingly aware of the opportunities that the domestic forests are providing. The output value of the forestry industry was at almost 470 billion yen in 2016, with half of the value generated by the stable mushroom and non-wood forestry goods sector. To find out more, please see below: 

Forestry

As the third largest producer of paper and paperboard in the world, the Japanese paper industry is undergoing a vast transformation in recent years, as the need for traditional paper products is decreasing and the demand for high-technology materials like nanofiber is increasing at an enormous pace. Companies are also using their expertise in power generation from biomass materials to expand into the electricity sector. To read more, please click on the link below: 

Paper & Packaging

Publications:

Importing and distributing food and food packaging is highly regulated in Japan. Especially in retail, packaging is an indispensable part of the product, not only for protection, but also to provide advertising and information for the consumer. Hence, this report titled Packaging for the food market in Japan examines conditions for exporting food packaging to Japan, whether as part of a food shipment or for selling to food manufacturers in Japan. For further reading, please click on the link below: 

Report: Packaging for the food market in Japan

Upcoming Webinar:

Import trade concessions are contained in the EPA for EU exporters of forest products to Japan.  As a result, these EU products have since the entry into force of the Agreement an important competitive advantage on the Japanese markets. To register for of our webinar EPA & Forestry Products scheduled on 17 March, please click on the following link:

EPA Helpdesk Webinar 18: Forestry Products