International Symposium on Legality Verified Wood 2010
Part Two Report: Activities in Japan to Tackle Illegal Logging Issues
Presenter Information
NameMinako Oishi

Affiliation

Nippon Association of Consumer Specialists (NACS)

Title

Vice-chairperson, Environment Committee

CareerCurrently vice-chairperson of the Nippon Association of Consumer

summary

Specialists (NACS) Environment Committee. Worked as a high school
home economics teacher, and then in a milk and rice consultation office.
Actively participates in corporate stakeholder meetings and government
commissions to deliver the voice of consumers and ensure that
information from enterprises and organizations properly reaches
consumers.

Report Outline
Title: Our Lifestyle is All Connected to the World: Let’s Learn about Product Life Cycles
Consumer specialists serve as a bridge linking consumers and enterprises. We feel it isimportant to pay attention to the full product life cycle when selecting products giving
consideration to the environment. The NACS conducts ongoing activities to increase, asmuch as possible, the number of green consumers toward the formation of a sustainable
future society through such activities as holding consumer lectures with local
governments and participating in environmental advisory councils.
Report Summary
The NACS Environment Committee has been conducting research and activities toward
the formation of a sustainable society since 1999. The Committee conducted survey
researchoneffective

environmental

labelsandenvironmental

reportsascommunications tools between enterprises and consumers, and compiled the nine
principles of environmental labels that green consumers seek and a checklist. Also,
while consumers may only be concerned about what they can perceive directly, to selectproducts that are truly environment-friendly it is important to take interest in entire
product life cycles ranging from raw materials procurement through to transportation,
production, sales and post-use disposal and recycling. The NACS holds consumer
workshops on topics such as product life cycles and conducts other activities to increase,as much as possible, the number of green consumers toward the achievement of asustainable future lifestyle.
Last year, the NACS published the pamphlet “Our Lifestyle is All Connected to theWorld: Let’s Learn about Product Life Cycles” as the conclusion of three years ofactivities. The pamphlet is being used by environmental educators.

Turning to wood products, unfortunately Japanese consumers do not show strong
interest in the wood sources, even though 70 percent of Japan is covered with forests.
Many consumers understand that using recycled paper is good for the environment, butthere are still not many consumers who are concerned enough to ask where the timber
originally came from, and how it was sourced. Yet this is due to the lack of the type of
information that consumers are interested in. No consumers want to purchase items
that are bad for the environment. So we feel the problem is the present insufficientprovision of information by the suppliers.
In efforts to learn about the life cycle of paper diapers, we conducted surveys andresearch on the environmental impact at each stage. Because paper diapers aredisposable products, they are believed to have large environmental effects at thelogging sites where timber is cut for the raw materials, and at places where crude oil isextracted.
While correctly informing consumers that timber from illegal logging still exists andregarding the impact from illegal logging on the natural and social environment, it isalso important to make a broad appeal, for example, with information on FSC andPEFC wood certification and SGEC domestic wood certification as reliable standards
for selection by consumers, and on products effectively utilizing thinned lumber.
Recently, these certification labels are finally being seen on familiar items such as
stationary goods, household articles, and copy paper. [If PowerPoint materials areprepared, photos of certification labels on actual products are available.] It is hoped thatlarge volumes of legality verified wood will be used at schools and other public facilities
from now on as a result of its inclusion in the Green Purchasing Law (Act on Promotionof Procurement of Eco-Friendly Goods and Services by the State and Other Entities).
I visited coffee farms in Guatemala last year. My strongest impression was their
explanation that they had gained Conservation International certification at therequest of Canadian consumers. Also, a farm owner who had gained Rainforest Alliancecertification had done so as a means to convey their environmentally sensitive
cultivation methods and concern to consumers. Ultimately, society changes dependingon what consumers demand and what consumers choose. I think that, like others,
Japanese consumers must do more to raise their voices.