#Article Launch Challenge# Before reading this article, we sincerely invite you to click the "Follow" button, so that you can continue to push such articles in the future, and at the same time, it is also convenient for you to discuss and share, your support is the driving force for us to keep writing
Japan is an extremely resource-poor country and is extremely dependent on imports for resources such as oil and coal. However, the country's technology industry is relatively developed, and the cars and mobile phones produced have been sold relatively hot in the mainland.
Japan
In October 2023, the Japanese government's economic data department released a statistical result showing a significant increase of 40% in China's timber imports from Japan compared to the same period last year.
Distribution of forest resources in China
According to the latest National Forest Resources Survey data, China's total forest cover has reached 220.4 million hectares, accounting for about 5.51% of the world's total forest area. Among them, the six provinces of Inner Mongolia, Yunnan, Heilongjiang, Sichuan, Tibet and Guangxi are particularly rich in forest resources, with a total area of 114.7 million hectares, which accounts for more than half of China's total forest area, specifically 52.57%. The average forest coverage rate is 22.96%, while the forest coverage rate in Fujian, Jiangxi, Taiwan and Guangxi exceeds 60%.
Coverage in Zhejiang, Hainan, Yunnan and Guangdong ranged from 50 to 60 per cent, 11 provinces such as Hunan had between 30 and 50 per cent coverage, and 13 provinces such as Anhui had coverage between 10 and 30 per cent. Qinghai and Xinjiang have less than 10% of the forest cover. China's total standing timber stock is as high as 190.07 billion cubic meters, and these resources are mainly concentrated in the southwest and northeast regions. The six provinces of Tibet, Yunnan, Heilongjiang, Sichuan, Inner Mongolia and Jilin accounted for 60.12% of the national total, reaching 111.26 million cubic meters.
Forest resources are more than just numbers; they provide livelihoods for local people, habitats for wildlife and abundant resources for tourism. In Yunnan, in the southwest, the diverse vegetation is a major attraction for tourists, while in the northeast, Heilongjiang is a popular destination for ecotourism with its vast primeval forests.
China has become the largest importer of timber to Japan
With the improvement of people's living standards, the pursuit of high-quality home life is also increasing, which has also increased the demand for natural materials such as wood. The surge in demand for Japanese logs in China is mainly due to the boom in the domestic construction industry and the rapid development of the furniture manufacturing industry. Japanese logs are known for their quality and sustainable management, and are favored by Chinese consumers and manufacturers.
This phenomenon has aroused public interest and questions: Why does the mainland import timber to avoid cutting down its own forests? In response to this question, it may be that the mainland is reluctant to reduce its native forest resources.
The source of wood in Japan
Japan does not have many resources, but they are extremely rich in forest resources. Its forest coverage rate is as high as 67%. From a very early age, Japan has implemented a series of forest protection policies, such as the "forestry administration" in the Edo period, which paid great attention to the sustainable development of forests. In modern times, these policies have been upgraded to meet increasingly severe environmental challenges. Scientists and forestry experts plan carefully to ensure that forest resources are used wisely while maintaining ecological balance.
In addition, Japan has implemented a series of strict forestry management policies to encourage sustainable forest use and conservation. For example, through the introduction of a forest certification system, it is ensured that timber is harvested with minimal ecological impact. In addition, the management of national parks and nature reserves is particularly stringent, restricting commercial activities in these areas to protect wildlife habitats while maintaining biodiversity. However, as the trees get older, Japan will take the initiative to cut down some of the trees from the previous year and replant new saplings to keep the forest trees replaced.
Japan has a lot of timber resources and has an advantage in cost
One of the main reasons why China chose to import logs from Japan is because China has a large market demand, which provides a strong impetus for trade between the two countries. With China's rapid economic growth and accelerated urbanization, the demand for high-quality building materials is also rising. Logs, as an indispensable resource in house construction and furniture production, are particularly valued in the Chinese market. Japanese logs are known for their good quality and sustainably managed forest resources. These woods are not only strong and beautifully grained, but also meet the requirements of more and more consumers for ecological protection.
As a result, Japan has become one of the preferred sources of Chinese log imports. In addition, Japan has almost three times the forest coverage rate of us, and although the continent is large, it also has a very large population. Due to logging activities and other factors, the forest area on the mainland has decreased dramatically. At the same time, the mainland also detected this trend at an early stage. In order to restore green vegetation, not only have afforestation projects been vigorously promoted, but commercial deforestation in the northeast and Inner Mongolia regions has also been terminated. As of 2017, China has completely banned commercial timber harvesting across the country. After this ban was imposed, China began to increase its timber imports from foreign countries.
In addition, the 40% surge in purchases in 2023 is also closely related to the reduction in log export prices announced by Japan almost simultaneously.