Japan Wood Products
Prices
Dollar Exchange Rates of
31th Jan. 2009
Japan Yen 89.84
Reports From Japan
Japan projected to import less lumber in 2009
Japan Lumber Journal (JLJ) and Japan Lumber Reports
(JLR) reported on projections for Japan’s demand of
timber imports for 2009. According to the Japan Foreign
Timber Supply and Demand Liaison Conference, it was
expected that demand for logs from North America,
Russia, Europe, New Zealand and Chile would drop
marginally, but not close to the significant 20% drop seen
in 2008. According to the JLR, shipments of logs from
Russia were expected to drop about 10% due to the
industry’s shift in focus to domestic species in Japan.
South Sea log demand was also expected to drop, as a
result of the number of shrinking plywood mills in the
region. JLJ estimates that the import of South Sea logs
would be 24% below the shipments forecast for previous
years. Logs used by plywood factories dropped 27%, since
raw materials are expected to be limited in supply and
many mills are stopping production or closing.
The chart below shows the changes to import levels in
Japan for 2008 and 2009:
Japan’s plywood imports show marginal gains at end of 2008
Japan Lumber Reports showed minor gains in November
2008 plywood imports compared to November 2007
levels. Housing starts for November 2008 showed no gains
from a year earlier (Figure 1), with wood-framed
installations making up about half of total housing starts.
While plywood imports for November 2008 showed a
minimal 3.3% gain from the same month in 2007 (Figure
2), it is expected import levels will continue to be low due
to weak demand for plywood. JLR reported that prices
continued to be lower because of the strong yen and
reduced demand for logs. Nevertheless, it is reported that
Malaysian plywood suppliers were tightening their export
prices, so prices are expected to rebound.
Sumitomo Forestry to start reforestation project in Indonesia
Japan Lumber Journal reported on Sumitomo Forestry
Co., Ltd’s implementation of a reforestation project in
Indonesia, which will restore 1,000 hectares of denuded
land in the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park in East
Java. The park is under the jurisdiction of Indonesia’s
Ministry of Forestry and is in a sightseeing area, at
elevations of around 1,700-2,500 meters. Although the
area had previously been reforested, it continued to turn
into grassland due to repeated fires in the area. Sumitomo
Forestry hopes to apply other lessons from its reforestation
projects in Indonesia to reforest the area, which is in a
harsh volcanic area.
|
Abbreviations
| LM Loyale Merchant, a grade of log parcel |
Cu.m
Cubic Metre |
| QS Qualite Superieure |
Koku 0.278 Cu.m or 120BF |
| CI Choix Industriel
|
FFR
French Franc |
| CE
Choix Economique |
SQ
Sawmill Quality |
| CS Choix Supplimentaire |
SSQ
Select Sawmill Quality |
| FOB Free-on-Board |
FAS Sawnwood Grade First and |
| KD Kiln Dry |
Second |
| AD Air Dry |
WBP Water and Boil Proof |
| Boule A Log Sawn Through and Through |
MR
Moisture Resistant |
|
the boards from one log are bundled |
pc per piece |
|
together |
ea
each |
| BB/CC Plywood
grades. Letter(s) on the left indicate face veneer(s), those on the right backing
veneer(s). Veneer grade decreases in order B, BB, C, CC, etc. |
MBF 1000 Board Feet
|
|
Plywood |
MDF Medium
Density Fibreboard |
| BF Board Foot |
F.CFA
CFA Franc
|
| Sq.Ft Square
Foot |
PHND
Pin hole no defect grade |
| Hoppus ton 1.8 cubic metres |
  Price has moved up or down |
|
|
|
