FAO Advisory Committee on Paper and Wood Products Thirty-ninth Session Rome, 23-24 April 1998 Proceedings   FOREST PRODUCTS PRODUCTION AND TRADE FLOW TRENDS Trends in Japanese imports of forest products   ABSTRACT Japan is by far the largest importer of wood products in the world although it is not among the ten largest producers. Japan is situated in Asia. However, its import share from Asian countries is only about 15 percent with the remainder imported world-wide. Structural changes of forest product imports in Japan Japan has been undergoing drastic changes in the structure of forest product imports in recent years. To be specific, the shift from logs to more value-added products is remarkable. The most important reason for the shift is the structural changes in production in the producing countries brought about by the movement toward environmental protection on a global scale and sustainable forest management. In Japan, in the meantime, the Great Hanshin Earthquake in 1995 triggered increasing needs for earthquake-proof houses, and demand for engineered wood such as laminated wood is growing fast. Changes in exporting countries During the period from 1992 to 1996, log imports into Japan were down 18 percent, while lumber imports were up 36 percent. Primary reasons for the drop in log imports were the strengthened regulations for environmental protection and development of value-added products in the exporting countries. As a result, log-exporting countries varied, and imports of lumber and laminated wood, the latter in particular, from some countries are soaring. Imports of plywood also increased. However, the share of exporting countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia has changed greatly. Also showing fast growth in imports are particle board and fibreboard. In general, imports from countries which produce forest products using woods from plantations are rising. Relations with Southeast Asian countries Indonesia and Malaysia are the two largest exporters of wood products to Japan. Indonesia began to restrict log exports in 1982 and totally banned them in 1985. Since then, their exports to Japan of plywood, and laminated wood in later years, have increased sharply. Indonesia is currently suffering an economic crisis and the government is being forced to change its policy. However, the effect of policy changes for wood products is unpredictable at the moment. Like Indonesia, Malaysia has been restricting log exports since mid-1980s and boosting exports of value-added products, although this varies depending on states. Wood supply (million m3) 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 Total domestic imports 29.4 28.0 27.2 25.6 24.5 22.9 22.5 22.4 Logs products 33.9 32.2 30.4 27.7 26.9 25.9 25.1 23.9 Lumber 12.6 12.9 12.4 14.4 14.6 16.0 16.2 16.5 Plywood 4.7 5.0 4.9 6.6 6.5 7.0 8.4 8.5 Chip and pulp 30.0 33.3 32.9 32.8 35.6 38.4 37.6 37.4 Others 0.7 0.8 0.8 1.2 1.4 1.8 2.5 2.8 Subtotal(A) 47.9 52.1 51.0 55.1 58.1 63.1 64.7 65.2 Total Import (B) 81.8 84.2 81.4 82.8 85.0 89.0 89.8 89.0 Grand total(C) 111.2 112.2 108.5 108.4 109.5 111.9 112.3 111.4 B / C (%) 73.6 75.0 75.0 76.4 77.6 79.5 80.0 79.9 A / B (%) 58.6 61.8 62.7 66.5 68.3 70.9 72.1 73.2   Source: Forestry Agency. Volume delivered at mills. All on solid wood basis. Imports of logs and lumber (million m3) Exporter 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 North America USA Logs 8.5 7.7 7.4 7.1 6.9 Lumber 2.4 2.3 2.1 2.0 2.2 Canada Logs 0.7 0.5 0.3 0.2 0.1 Lumber 4.4 5.5 5.5 5.9 6.1 Subtotal Logs 9.3 8.2 7.6 7.3 7.0 Lumber 6.8 7.8 7.6 8.0 8.3 South Seas Malaysia Logs 8.6 5.5 4.5 4.0 3.5 Lumber 0.7 0.7 0.6 0.7 0.5 Indonesia Logs 0 0 0 0 0 Lumber 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 Others Logs 1.5 2.2 2.4 2.1 2.2 Lumber 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.3 Subtotal Logs 10.1 7.7 6.9 6.1 5.7 Lumber 1.3 1.5 1.4 1.4 1.3 Russia Logs 4.2 5.0 4.8 5.4 5.4 Lumber 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.4 New Zealand Logs 1.9 1.7 1.9 1.9 2.1 Lumber 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.3 Others Logs 0.4 0.9 1.2 1.3 1.1 Lumber 0.5 0.9 1.1 1.7 2.0 Total Logs 25.9 23.4 22.4 21.9 21.3 Lumber 9.0 10.6 10.8 11.8 12.3 Lumber/(Logs+Lumber) %) 25.9 31.2 32.5 35.0 36.5 Source: Customs Clearance Statistics (Ministry of Finance). Imports of laminated wood and wood panels (1000 m3; 1000 tons for fibreboard) 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 Laminated wood (1) 18 18 30 43 68 (2) 21 59 89 148 319 Wood panels Plywood 2 985 4 087 4 045 4 394 5 314 Particle board 126 179 347 361 553 Fibre board 104 225 307 309 356 Notes: (1) is laminated lumber for fittings and (2) is structural laminated lumber Source: Customs Clearance Statistics (Ministry of Finance)

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