The latest data from Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries shows total wood material demand in 2015 was down 1.9 per cent, to 25.1 million cu- bic metres, compared to 2014, says Japan Lumber Reports Friday.
Wood Demand, Forestry Output Japan: 2015
Total wood material demand in Japan for 2015 has dropped for two consecutive years, despite new housing starts up 1.9 per cent compared to 2014, according to the latest data from Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, said the Japan Lumber Reports Friday.
Log demand for lumber in 2015 was 16,182 million cubic metres, a 2.9 per cent decrease from the previous year. Shipments of lumber fell by 3.8 per cent, to 9,231 million cubic metres.
Domestic consumption of materials increased by 0.7 per cent compared to 2014, to 20,049 million cubic metres. Consumption of imported materials dropped by 11 per cent, to 5,045 million cubic metres, therefore the share of domestic wood consumption was almost 80 per cent, 2.1 points more than in 2014.
Imports of softwood lumber from North America fell by 0.6 per cent in 2015 compared to the previous year. Imported logs from North America for lumber manufacturing was down 3.2 per cent, to 3,259 million cubic metres.
These North America log imports accounted for 78 per cent of all Japan’s log imports in 2015.