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1. 2/3 OF APAN IS OVERED WITH ORESTS FOREST J C F RESOURCES CREATING A LAND OF GREENERY. ■ JAPAN 44° Japan is located at the eastern edge of the Eurasia, between longitudes of 123 and 149 degrees and latitudes 40° of 24 and 46 degrees. It is an archipelago extending over approximately 3,000 km from the Northeast to the 36° Southwest and land area of about 380,000 square kilometers. In general, the topography is very steep. Mountains ranging from 2,000-3,000 meters high form a 32° rugged backbone through the center of the country. 132° 136° 140° 1. Varietry of Forests Range from Sub-tropical forests to Alpine Forests. Japan has a wet monsoon climate and experiences distinct seasonal changes between the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter. Also, meteorological conditions vary because of the latitudinal difference, dividing the forests into six types. Moreover, since high mountains range through the center of the country, it is possible to find vertical variation in forest types even in areas at the same latitude. Thus the forests are extremely rich in variation. ■ The Distribution of Japan’s Forests Atpine zone Sub-frigid forest Cool temperate coniferous forest mixed with broad-leaved trees Cool temperate forest Warm temperate forest Sub-tropical forest Sub-frigid forest ■ Effects of Altitude on Vegetation The example of Norikuradake mountain(3,026m) 3000m Pinus pumila Betula Ermanii Abies Mariesii Abies Veitchii 2000m Abies homolepis Fagus crenata Abies firma 1000m Cyclobalanopsis spp.(ever green oak). Sub-tropical forest 2 2/3 OF JAPAN IS COVERED WITH FORESTS Japanese cedar, REATING A AND OF REENERY. Sugi Cyptomeria C L G japonico 2. 2/3 of the Land is Covered with Forests of which 41% Consists of Plantation ■ Current land use in Japan(unit:10,000ha) Approximately 10 million hectares of plantations have been 312 185 established since the end of World War II for the rehabilitation of Forest 132 degraded land and for meeting domestic timber demand. Felling Wilderness 134 is restricted in fragile areas for both plantation and natural forests Areble land & Pasture Land area forest which play a crucial role for protection of Public benefits and 3,779 Water body 478 2,510 (100.0%) (68.4%) services. Road Approximately % of plantations are less than years old and Building & 64 40 28 housing lot therefore need sustained tending. Other Note: The area of forest is not same as one in the next graph due to the difference of definition of forest Source: Land White Paper 2007, Ministry of Land and Transportation 50.0 3000 ■ Transition of forest area 45.0 2500 40.0 and growing stock 1475 35.0 17.8 2000 1504 17.0 ） 30.0 1476 1338 3 1589 1724 15.9 25.0 1500 20.0 15.0 1000 （Million m 15.0 13.9 26.5 1040 10.0 13.3 1022 23.4 793 938 18.9 1036 1035 500 Total Growing Stock of Forest 5.0 13.6 5.6 8.0 Total Area of Forest（10,000ha） 0.0 0 1966 1976 1986 1995 2002 2007 Total growing stock of Total area of natural natural forest forest Total growing stock of Total area of man-made man-made forest forest Cool temperate forest SourceSource: : Forestry white Paper 20102011 3. In terms of land area, Japan is one of the most densely-forested countries in the world. However, due to a high population, forest area per capita is relatively low. Among temperate ■ Forest Cover in some selected Countries countries, only 0 200,000 400,000 600,000 800,000 1,000,000 Finland 72.9 22,157 France 29.0 15,954 Finland surpasses Germany 31.8 11,076 Russia 49.4 809,090 Japan in terms of Japan 68.5 24,979 China 21.9 206,861 Malaysia 62.3 ratio of forest cover. 20,456 Indonesia 52.1 94,432 Myanmar 48.3 But because of its 31,773 Indo 23.0 Ratio of forest cover (%) 68,434 Turkey 14.7 large population, 11,334 Forest area (mil.ha) Cameroon 42.1 19,916 DR.Congo 68.0 the forest area per 154,135 Tanzania 37.7 Warm temperate forest 33,428 Brazil 62.4 519,522 capita is a mere 0.2 Colombia 54.5 60,499 Peru 53.1 67,992 hectare or about Canada 34.1 310,134 USA 33.2 304,022 one-third of the 19.4 Australia 149,300 World.Ave 31.0 global average. 0.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 80.0 Source: Global ForestSource Resources : Forestry Assesment white Paper 2010(FAO) 2010 3 2. THE PUBLIC THE PUBLIC FUNCTIONS OF FORESTS ARE BECOMING BENEFIT OF FORESTS INCREASINGLY IMPORTA NT. 1. Japan is exposed to earthquakes, typhoons and tsunami. Forests perform an indispensable role in safeguarding human life, property and soil against these natural disasters. At an average, 1,700mm per ■ Typhoon Routes ■ The Structure of the Earth's Crust annum rainfall in Japan is two In the Japan Region times the global average. The normal rainy season occurs from June to July, while typhoon risk is greatest in September. Mountain ranges comprising the central Typhoon backbone of the country occupy 70% of the land area. The Equator Downstream run-off from this rugged terrain leads to frequent floods and landslides. This condition is An avarage of 10 typhoons per year strike Japan which Japan is said to have been created as a result of lies directly in the path of these violent tropical storms orogenic movement and volcanic activity occurring further exacerbated by originating near the equator. The intense rainfall from repeatedly over hundreds of millions of years. The damage from volcanoes. typhoons causes enormous damage to life, homes and country is located where the ocean plates dive under Japan has 83 volcanoes, public infrastructure. For instance, a record of 5,000 lives the continental plates, often resulting in violent were lost during a typhoon which struck Japan in 1959. movements of the earth’s crust. From 10 to 50 accounting for 10% of all earthquakes each year are intense enough to be felt active volcanoes in the world. by the people. ln 2011, Tohoku district along the Pacific ocean was hit by the great power of earthquake and tsunami in which approximately 20,000 people lost their lives. 2. Japan has preserved its land while utilizing the forests effectively for centuries. ■ The Concept of Sustained Yields Living under conditions of steep topography, high Example of Cyclic Forest Community forestry in old days rainfall and frequent earthquakees, the people of Japan have long developed a keen appreciation of the Up to one basket direct role of forests in mitigating natural disaster. of fallen leaves Protection of upstream forests receives very high priority, especially amongst farmers dependent on Felling irrigation water and plant nutrient outflows of healthy forest ecosystems. Realizing the crucial importance of 100 fag- forests, management systems have evolved that are gots of firewood Felling One year Five years Ten years Twenty years later per family consistent with the concept of sustained yield, striking this year later later later or possible felling a healthy balance between forest extraction and the Cyclic forest Community forestry capacity to regenerate both goods and services. For example,if 20 year old trees are Villagers cooperated to utilize their harvested as fuel wood, only one forests whthin sustainable limits. twentieth of the forest land area would be cut in one year so the forest could be utilized with a 20 year harvest cycle. 4 THE PUBLIC FUNCTIONS OF FORESTS ARE BECOMING Japanese cypress, Hinoki INCREASINGLY IMPORTA NT. Chamoecyporis obivsa 3. Enactment of the Forest Law about 100 years ago stregthened the legal framework for systematic preservation and tending of forests to protect the livelihood of the people The history of organized initiatives to conserve forests dates back to the beginning of the Edo Era (1600’s) with the designation of specific forest areas for water conservation and sand stabilization. Official orders were issued placing restrictions on felling and exploitation in order to prevent forest degradation. The struggle to conserve forests was sustained through the centuries and eventually gave birth to the Forest Law enacted in 1897 establishing a nation-wide forest protection system. Seventeen (17) public interest criteria serve as the basis for establishment of protection forests. ■ Various protection forests are safeguarding the people's livelihood. The term “protection forests” refers to areas specifically set aside by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries or by prefectural governments to conserve water and wildlife, prevent soil erosion and landslides and protect the living environment. lnfringement of the rules governing protection forests, such as prohibitions against felling, are punishable under the law which is vigorously enforced. Concurrently tax exemptions compensation for loss due to restriction in forest management and other incentives are provided to promote forest conservation ■ Types of Protection Forest ■ Total Area of Protection Forest Conservation of water resource Prevention against tidal damage Fire break Control of erosion and sedimentation Drought control Conservation of fisheries resource Prevention against land collapse Snow break Contribution to navigation Control of shifting sand Fog break Contribution to public health Wind break Control of avalanche Contribution to scenic beauty Non-national National forest forest Flood control Prevention against falling rocks 5,089,000 ha 6,875,000 ha ■ Implementation of soil conservation work has been intensified, particularly in sites where some degraded land or mountain streams have the potential for causing disaster. Construction of check dams and hillside work are the principal soil conservation activities.

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