Goho(=Legal) Wood NAVI

International Seminar in Tokyo for Tackling Illegal Logging, 2007
- Response of the world to the Procurement Policies of Japan -
Implementation Plan (Draft, 11/20)
Council for Tackling Illegal Logging Issue
(Secretariat: Japan Federation of Wood-Industry Associations)

1. Purpose
To address the global problem of illegal logging, the Japanese government started to implement measures to prioritize products made from raw material of timber that is proven to be legal and sustainable for its procurements from April 2006. Because of this, the Forestry Agency created the "Guideline for Verification on Legality and Sustainability of Wood and Wood Products" and published them inside and outside of Japan in February 2006, and we expect the development of a supply system on the basis of this. Asking also the countries who export wood and wood products to Japan to understand the Japanese system, requesting that they promote measures to counter illegal logging at the countries of origin to ensure a smooth import of wood anad wood products to Japan that is proven to be legal and sustainable are important issues. And out of the same necessity for the supply of legal material also for those involved in procurement in the government and private sector, we decided to invite those involved from overseas to hold an international seminar as follows, hosted by the Council for Tackling Illegal Logging Issue(chaired by Motoaki Okuma, President of the Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute and consisting of members from the Japanese industry, NGOs and related scientists).

2. Outline of the International Seminar
  (1) Name: International Seminar on the Promotion of Measures Against Illegal Logging 2007 in Tokyo - Response of the World to the Procurement Policies of Japan -
  (2) Date: 26 - 27 February, 2007
  (3) Location: Conference rooms at Tokyo International Exhibition Center "Tokyo Big Sight" (http://www.bigsight.jp/english/ Ariake, Koto-ku, Tokyo, Japan)
  (4) Agenda: Presentations and discussions by invited guests on the following topics.
 A. The efforts of the Japanese government to address illegal logging and the meaning and reality of the "Guideline for Verification on Legality and Sustainability of Wood and Wood Products" r
 B. Efforts in timber-exporting countries to verify legality and sustainability
(Forest certification systems / efforts of government and industry / original efforts by the industry)
 C. Efforts within Japan to verify legality and sustainability
  (5) Side Events
 Poster sessions by invited guests and those who desire it on the basis of the topics listed under (4), and others
 Call for volunteer papers
  (6) Participants
 Japanese government officials involved in the procurement of wood and wood products, persons involved in procurement at companies, timber businesses, timber importers, consumers, environmental NGOs, scientists
Persons involved in timber export and persons working at relevant government posts of countries exporting timber to Japan
  (7) Languages used
 Japanese, English (simultaneous interpretation)
  (8) Contact
 The Council for Tackling Illegal Logging Issue (Secretariat: Japan Federation of Wood-Industry Associations)
 6F, Nagatacho Bldg., 2-4-3 Nagatacho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan 100-0014
 Phone: +81-3-3580-3215 Fax: +81-3-3580-3226 Email: Inquiries more
Contact persons: Takashi Fujiwara, Takashi Uesugi, Masahiko Kato

3. Proposal for the International Seminar Proceedings

		Main venue	Poster venue
Feb.  26	11:00-12:30	Overall conference   Greetings from the chairman of the executive committee   Greetings from the representative of the Japanese government   Keynote speeches
		Break	Overseas efforts Japanese efforts
	14:00	Session A Japanese government procurement and guidelines
	15:00-18:00	Session B(1)  Efforts of exporting countries 1 (developing nations) (Presentation 30 minutes, discussion 15 minutes), 4 reports
Feb.  27	9:30-12:30	Session B(2)  Efforts of exporting countries (industrial nations), Session C  Efforts within Japan (same as above)
		Break
	14:00-16:00	Panel discussion Closing ceremony   Wrap-up reports

4. Selection of Invited Speakers
  (1) Scope of Speakers Invited
Managers responsible for the construction of verification systems or persons suitable to explain the verification system at verification-issuing organizations/exporters who issue or are preparing to issue verification on the legality or sustainability of export timber in line with the Japanese guidelines or at organizations guaranteeing the reliability of the verification in countries or regions exporting timber to Japan
  (2) Selection Procedure
The decision will be made upon recommendation by relevant government officials or industry organizations, etc. in countries or regions exporting timber to Japan and deliberation in the executive committee.

5. Contents of Presentations and Discussions
For session B "Efforts of exporting countries" and session C "Efforts within Japan", the presentations of the invited guests and the discussions will be held on the basis of the structure to be indicated by the host whose outline is described below.
  (1) Forest management of the related region and the Japanese procurement policies
The forest law enforcement and governance in the related region and a general evaluation of the current situation in forest management / evaluation of the Japanese Green Procurement Law and the guidelines, and the impact on forest management in the related region
  (2) Relation of the Japanese guidelines and the verification
Items verified by the verification / mechanisms to check the legality at the time of the logging / mechanisms to check sustainability / mechanisms for separation management
  (3) Issues for the future
Problems of the present verification system and issues to be improved in the future

6. Side Events (Poster Sessions)
We will do poster presentations session by both voluntary presenters and invited guests from the relevant countries and regions with a contents above.

7. Preparation of a Report, etc.
The results of the seminar will be summarized in a report in English and Japanese language and published on our website to contribute to the issuance of verification in the exporting countries

8. Organization
We will set up an executive committee consisting of the WG for the project to spread legality and sustainability verification systems and a number of academic experts with experience on this subject, etc., to deliberate the points necessary for the execution, including the determination of the invited guests and the contents of the discussions.


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