[Column] The Path to Decarbonization! What We Should Explore is the Current State of Japan's Forests and Their Issues

The forest area in Japan has not changed for over 50 years. However, the forest accumulation, which refers to the volume of forests, has been increasing year by year, particularly in artificial forests.

Japan is a forest kingdom, with about two-thirds of its land (approximately 25 million hectares) covered by forests, which is among the highest proportions in the world. In fact, Japan's forest area has not changed for over 50 years. I will explain the current state of Japan's forests, which is the reason for this. However, the volume of forests, known as forest accumulation, has been increasing year by year, primarily in artificial forests. While the area has not increased, the volume has been growing annually. Forests consist of "natural forests," which grow through natural processes, and "artificial forests," which are planted by humans. While the global rate of artificial forests is 7%, Japan's rate is very high at 40%. The area of Japan's artificial forests is approximately 10 million hectares, which is about 1.2 times the size of Hokkaido. The high rate of artificial forests in Japan is due to the sharp increase in demand for timber after World War II and during the period of rapid economic growth, leading to the establishment of many artificial forests. Now, those artificial forests planted during that time have entered their maturity phase, with more than half being over 50 years old. As a result, while the forest area has not changed, the trees in the forests are growing... For more information, please read the continuation at the URL below or contact us.

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