Goho(=Legal) Wood NAVI

International Seminar in Tokyo for Tackling Illegal Logging, 2007

Response of the World to the Procurement Policies of Japan

Thank you very much for your kind introduction. As the President of Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, and the Chairman of the organizing body of this international seminar, the Council for Tackling Illegal Logging Issue, I would like to say my words of greetings to the members of the audience.

First of all, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to Minister Matsuoka of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, for your attendance, despite your busy schedule when the Diet is in session.

I am extremely pleased that eight distinguished international speakers have been invited to this International Seminar for Tackling Illegal Logging on the response of the world to the procurement policies of Japan. I can see that there are many participants from overseas as well as from all over Japan among the members of the audience. I am very glad that we have been able to organize a seminar of this scale, and I thank you all very much for your participation.

The Council for Tackling Illegal Logging Issue is a forum of discussion to study the framework of general projects to tackle illegal logging that are promoted by the Japan Federation of Wood Industry Associations (JFWIA). It consists of scholars, experts, and members of industry groups and environmental non-governmental organizations. Its aim is to respond to the Japanese government's decision to implement its Green Purchasing Law, which specifies that the government gives priority to procuring wood supplies of which legality is verified from the fiscal year 2006. The seminar this time is planned and implemented by the Seminar Executive Committee from the Council's office. This seminar is important in the sense that it serves as the wrap-up event of the first year of general countermeasures against illegal logging.

Last year the Japanese government started implementing its procurement policy to give priority to wood and wood products of which legality is verified. In response, the industry groups of this nation started discussions on the measures to supply legal wood based on the Guideline for Verification on Legality and Sustainability of Wood and Wood Products. More than 100 groups have declared their resolution to tackle illegal logging, and proceeded to have their own certification business to certify their member companies as legal wood suppliers. I understand that nearly 5000 business entities have been thus certified in Japan.

On the user side, many local municipalities have started green procurement of legal wood, following the national government's example. Some material procurement policies enacted by private-sector organizations have also adopted the idea of procuring legal wood. I believe that such a movement in Japan, a major wood consuming market of the world, will support similar movements elsewhere in the world to counter illegal logging. It is most effective and important that internationally coordinated efforts be made in Japan and around the world to solve the problem of illegal logging.

The seminar has been organized to play a pivotal role in such coordinated efforts. Eight guest speakers will introduce the legality verification system of various wood producing areas of the world, which supply wood and wood products to Japan. In the adjacent room, we have a poster presentation including voluntarily submitted papers, and an exhibition area to showcase the related undertakings in Japan. Tomorrow, we will have a panel discussion to explore the future direction of countermeasures against illegal logging.

I hope that the two days of discussions will help international participants to deepen their understanding of Japan's Guideline for Verification on Legality and Sustainability of Wood and Wood Products, as well as the objectives and latest developments of green procurement movement in Japan. I also hope that the people who have worked on legal wood supplies in Japan will be able to gather the latest information from the world concerning illegal logging issue through the seminar, and use it in their continuing activities to counter the issue with confidence. I believe that the citizens, scientists, researchers, and journalists among the audience will be able to learn from this seminar more about the importance of the countermeasures against illegal logging, and strengthen their support for those who are working nationwide on the legality of wood supplies.

In closing I hope that this two-day seminar may contribute to the further development of countermeasures against illegal logging through coordination between Japan and the world.

Thank you very much.