A weekly update of news from the Japanese
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
Public Relations Office, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry
and Fisheries
Kasumigaseki 1-2-1,Chiyoda-ku,Tokyo 100-8950
Tel:81-3-3591-2874
Fax:81-3-3597-8722
E-mail:koho_kaigai@nm.maff.go.jp
Editor.Koichi Itoh
The fiscal 2000 Forestry White Paper, the annual report on forestry in Japan, was released on April 13.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) approved new principles for Forestry Policy Reform in December 2000. The bill introducing a new basic law for forest and forestry to replace the existing law was submitted to the 2001 ordinary session of the Diet in March.
The fiscal 2000 Forestry White Paper addressed the need for new basic policies for forests, forestry and the wood industry and the direction of their development, and stressed the need to foster understanding and gain support for these efforts among the general public. Following is a summary of the chapters in the report.
1. History of forestry policy and the direction of new basic policy
This chapter reviews the results of the existing forestry basic law and the current state of forests and forestry, and describes the new basic principles, which are fulfillment of the multifunctional roles of forest, sound forestry development and promotion of wood use.
2. Appropriate forest maintenance and conservation to fulfill multifunctionality
This chapter describes current forest maintenance and the future direction of specific measures according to the three forest categories: "forests for water and land conservation," "forests for people and nature" and "forests for cyclical use of resources" and promotion of longer rotation periods and forest thinning.3. Invigorating forestry and mountain villages responsible for maintaining healthy and vital forests
This chapter describes the current condition of forestry as well as forward-looking measures to revitalize mountain villages, such as training interested and competent leaders and consolidating management.
4. Promoting wood industries that support cyclical use of forest resources
This chapter describes current trends in wood use and the wood industry, as well as forward-looking measures to promote use of regional supplies and maintain an efficient and high-quality wood product supply system.
5. Reform of national forest management to create "forests for the people"
This chapter describes specific issues concerning national forest management, whose administration and management focuses on its public functions.
6. Global trends in forest and forestry and Japan's contributions
This chapter describes Japan's efforts to promote sustainable forest management and prevent global warming as well as trends in the wood market and Japan's positions on these issues.
For further information, please contact the Policy Planning Division of the Forestry Agency at (03) 3501-3817.
On April 23, the Statistics and Information Department announced figures for the trade of agricultural, forestry and fishery products in 2000. Imported CIF amounts, including wool, liquor, tobacco, rubber and cotton, totaled \6,914 billion, down 2.1%. Of this total, \3,971 billion was accounted for by agricultural products, \1,209 billion for forestry products and \1,734 billion for fishery products. The trade of agricultural products fell 3.0%, forestry products decreased 1.4% and fishery products slipped 0.3%.
While imports of corn fell 3.0%, to 16,111,000 tons, the value of these imports fell 5.3%, to \203 billion. The volume of soybeans imported fell 1.1%, to 4,829,000 tons, and the value of these imports dropped 3.3%, to \132 billion. Wheat imports fell 2.0%, to 5,854,000 tons and the value slipped 9.1%, to \111 billion. Beef imports rose 6.2%, to 721,000 tons and the value rose 0.3%, to \280 billion. Pork imports increased 8.5% in volume, to 651,000 tons, and 6.7% in value, to \348 billion. Imports of chicken broilers were up 3.1%, to 568,000 tons, but value dropped 15.7%, to \90 billion. Fresh vegetable imports climbed 3.7%, to 857,000 tons, although the value of these imports fell 3.6%, to \102 billion. Frozen vegetable imports fell 0.3%, to 687,000 tons, and the value of these imports fell 7.1%, to \89 billion. Fresh and dried fruit imports advanced 9.8%, to 1,980,000 tons, but the value slipped 2.7%, to \212 billion. Tobacco imports fell 1.5%, to 180,000 tons, but the value increased 2.0%, to \313 billion. Liquor imports fell 3.5%, to 447,000 kiloliters and the value of these imports fell 11.1%, to \189 billion.
Imports of the products currently subject to the provisional safeguard measures (Welsh onions, shiitake mushrooms and tatami-omote) skyrocketed in volume.
The total value of imports in 2000 was up 16.1%, to \40,938 billion, of which agricultural, forestry and fishery products accounted for 16.9%. Total FOB exports of agricultural, forestries and fishery products amounted to \315 billion, while the trade deficit for these products was \6,599 billion.For further information, please visit the MAFF Website or contact the International Affairs Office of the Statistics and Information Department at (03) 3502-5687.
1. With the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak in the United Kingdom and its spread to other European Union (EU) countries, on March 24, 2001, MAFF decided to implement a tentative suspension on imports of pork products. Aware of the possibility that FMD could spread throughout the EU region, even FMD-free countries in the EU such as Finland, Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Belgium, Austria and Spain are included in this suspension until it can be confirmed that prevention measures and surveillance systems for FMD in the above-mentioned countries have been implemented appropriately.
2. Based on the investigation results reported by the animal health specialists as well as the opinions of researchers representing the Japan Veterinary Medicine Association, the assessment was made that the risk that FMD could spread to Japan through trade with Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Austria would be quite minimal if the tentative import suspension were to be lifted on pork imports. Accordingly, we have decided today to lift the import suspension measures and have notified the relevant organizations.
3. Since FMD outbreaks in some EU countries (UK and the Netherlands) are still ongoing, relief from the tentative suspension will apply only when the pork products from Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Austria comes from animals that have been slaughtered three weeks or more before import inspection at the animal quarantine service.
4. We do not yet have sufficient information to make a final decision concerning Germany, Italy, Belgium and Spain, and thus those countries are still subject to import restrictions. MAFF will study the possibility of lifting the tentative suspension after further information is collected.
For further information, please contact the Animal Health Division of Agricultural Production Bureau at (03) 3591-6584.
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