FAQ
About the organization
Reason for establishment
In recent years, the possibility that wooden buildings will increase in neighboring countries such as China and South Korea has increased owing to higher income, etc., and it is also expected that the demand for wood as a material for interior finishing will keep rising steadily. As domestic wooden resources in these countries are still in the growing phase, it is very meaningful to engage in activities for opening up the market, such as advertising the comfort of living in wooden houses made of Japanese cedar and hinoki cypress, unique to our country.
Some prefectures and enterprises have already taken proactive action for exporting not only logs, but also materials for wooden houses (such as materials for interior finishing). Therefore, time has come for supporting this momentum further and aiming for a shift from a major wood-importing country to a country that also engages in export of domestically produced lumber.
In countries that export wood, such as the U.S., Canada and New Zealand, the government and the private sector joined hands to research the markets in Asian countries. However, Japan has accumulated little information and know-how concerning export destinations. As a result, enterprises interested in export of wood are reluctant to proactively forge ahead with opening up the market.
In order to create a foundation for the business of exporting wood from our country, it is indispensable to grasp the situation of usage, distribution form, business customs, culture of living, needs from consumers, etc. concerning wood products in China, South Korea and other countries. However, the financial and technological burdens of such research are too much for a single enterprise or group. This is why we believed that there is a need for a specialized organization that will support local municipalities, groups, enterprises, etc. interested in export of wood (lumber produced in Japan) across the country, and we established this association that gathers such groups and enterprises as members and arranges conditions for realizing business transactions by these members. Our association was founded on March 30, 2004 as Japan Wood Products Export Council with Naoto Ando (Professor Emeritus at the University of Tokyo) appointed as Chairperson.
Overview of the organization
Japan Wood Products Export Association is an association composed of forestry operators, lumber and other manufacturers, distributors, export trading companies, national organizations related to forests and wood, local governments, and other entities.
| Group name | Japan Wood Products Export Association |
|---|---|
| Founded on | January 26, 2011 (the predecessor organization was Japan Wood Products Export Council, which was founded in March 2004) |
| Objective | Our objective is to promote the export of lumber produced in Japan (logs, processed products, materials for wooden houses, etc. produced in Japan). |
| Chairperson | Hisao Yamada |
| Deputy Chairpersons | Atsuhiro Inoue, Hiroshi Tomiyama, Kazuyuki Fuchigami, Koji Hongo |
| Managing Director | Daisuke Yoshino |
| Directors | 19 |
| Auditors | 2 |
| Projects |
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| Phone | 03-5844-6275 |
| Address |
7 Rokubancho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan |
Initiatives and Achievements
Since our association was established, we have promoted the export of wooden materials made in Japan (lumber, processed products, materials for wooden houses, etc.) to overseas emerging markets, especially in China and South Korea, where demand is growing significantly, as it would contribute to the exertion of forest functions for the public interest, such as environmental conservation, the effective use of regional resources, the vitalization of regional economies, forests, and forestry, etc.
In accordance with the “Policy for Expanding the Export of Forestry Products,” which was set through discussions in the Forestry Product Subcommittee of the Export Strategy Execution Committee established under the Japan’s National Council for Export Promotion of Agricultural, Forestry and Fishery Products and Processed Foods, our association became a group for coordinating the export of forestry products for the purpose of developing the Japan Brand in 2015. Then, our association will establish systems for cooperation among production sites in Japan and local cooperation in export markets, conduct surveys for grasping new demand for export, and tackle issues regarding the public relations and export of wooden-frame housing, while deepening the understanding of municipalities, related groups, business operators, and others and enlisting their cooperation, by utilizing the supportive measures of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Forestry Agency, and JETRO, and make systematic efforts to establish the Japan Brand outside Japan and export more wooden products made in Japan. Furthermore, our association was certified as a Certified Agricultural, Forestry and Fisheries Products and Food Export Promotion Organization specialized in lumber and plywood based on the Act on Facilitating the Export of Agricultural, Forestry, and Fishery Products and Food in 2022, and engages in initiatives for enhancing the capacity to export wooden products made in Japan.
Demonstration Projects to Address Common Export Issues in the Industry
- We are working to apply U.S. structural lumber standards, which are widely used internationally as lumber standards, to Japanese wood.
- We conducted performance verification of Japanese cedar and hinoki cypress 2×4 structural lumber and obtained approval for design values from the American Lumber Standard Committee.
- We promote the performance and characteristics of Japanese cedar and hinoki cypress through participation in construction-related exhibitions in the United States and other activities.
- We studied and developed prototype wrapping sheets for exported wood that are suitable in terms of both environmental impact and cost.
Establishment of the Japan Brand in Overseas Markets
- We created and registered a trademark for an export logo for Japanese wood products and are promoting its widespread use.
- Using the Japan Wood Station (JWS) in Vietnam as a base, we promote the use of Japanese wood through exhibitions and other activities.
- To promote Japanese wood products and technologies, we have constructed model houses together with member companies and other organizations in Shanghai, Dalian, and other cities in China. We promote the high quality and performance of wooden components made from Japanese cedar, hinoki cypress, and other Japanese wood species, as well as the Japanese post-and-beam construction method.
- We create brochures and videos to promote the technologies and quality of Japanese wood products. We promote them through our website and social media and show the videos at exhibitions and other events.
Overseas Market Development Activities
- In cooperation with Japanese businesses engaged in exports, we exhibit Japan Pavilions at trade shows in priority export countries and regions such as China, the United States, South Korea, and Taiwan. We promote Japanese wood products by highlighting their safety, health benefits, comfort, and other advantages, while creating business opportunities for participating member companies.
- We hold seminars mainly in priority export countries and regions to promote the use of Japanese wood products and introduce their characteristics, technologies, and other features.
- We invite wood-importing companies mainly from priority export countries and regions to Japan for visits to manufacturing sites for lumber, interior materials, and other products, tours of production areas, product presentations, and exchanges of views with Japanese businesses. We also organize seminars and business meetings for individual countries and regions.
Collection and dissemination of information
- We conduct research, collect information, and provide information on overseas market trends, distribution conditions, market needs, standards and regulations, major companies, and other relevant matters.
- We compile and distribute domestic and overseas information related to exports, particularly market information from export destination countries.
- We compile the latest wood market information from priority export countries and regions such as China, South Korea, Taiwan, and the United States and publish it on our website.
- We conduct wood market research in India, Indonesia, Australia, and other countries.
- We use our portal site, social media, and other web-based media to provide members and other stakeholders with the latest information in a convenient and accessible manner.
Organization of Domestic Study Meetings / Development of Export-Oriented Production Areas
- We organize study meetings on wood exports throughout Japan. Together with prefectural governments and nearby member companies, we share information on current conditions and challenges related to export promotion and explore possible solutions.
- To expand exports of high-value-added products, stakeholders across the entire supply chain—from upstream to downstream—are collaborating to build consensus and formulate export business plans.
Organization of seminars and technological training sessions
- We introduce advanced examples of wood exports and hold seminars in China, South Korea, and other overseas locations to present the quality and performance of Japanese wood and the initiatives of our member companies.
- We organize technical training sessions to explain technologies and methods for using Japanese wood products, with the aim of expanding business transactions and promoting the use of Japanese wood.
- We hold technical training courses on the Japanese post-and-beam construction method to develop engineers and promote exports of wooden houses and other structures using Japanese wood.
Development and Promotion of Industry-Wide Standards to Meet the Needs of Importing Countries
- We develop products and conduct performance testing and demonstrations to comply with the standards and requirements of export destination countries, with the aim of expanding exports of high-value-added products.
- We compile and publish existing standards useful for the export of lumber and preservative-treated wood as guidelines.
- We cooperate with overseas government officials and industry organizations to expand exports of Japanese wood products.
- We undertake initiatives including establishing an export labeling system for Japanese wood products, developing export standards for preservative-treated wood, and addressing issues related to product wrapping for export.
- We participated in the revision of China's National Standard for the Design of Timber Structures. In 2016, Japanese cedar, hinoki cypress, and Japanese larch were approved for use as structural materials.
Guide for joining our association
Our association considers that all of related people in Japan need to join hands for facilitating export, while involving a broad range of personnel of local governments, the industry related to lumber, etc. We hope that you will join our association after checking the purposes of establishment of our association, our initiatives, benefits for members, etc.