Two thirds of Japan is covered with forest that is rapidly reaching maturity and could be logged in the near future. This would have a tremendous impact on the timber market both in Japan and around the world. However, the Japanese domestic timber supply has been stagnating and forest management has become less intensive. In addition, timber suppliers are coming under various pressures to reduce their harvests. This book examines these conflicting pressures and evaluates the potential impact worldwide of Japan's changing timber supply. It will be a valuable study for students of forestry, economics, and business, as well as government research agencies, timber processors, and exporters of timber to Japan.
