Address byYoshitsugu Minagawa, Director-General of the Forestry Agency (draft)
International Symposium on Legality Verified Wood 2010
Friday, December 10, 2010
TFT Hall (Ariake, Koto Ward)
I extend to you my heartfelt congratulations on successfully holding theInternational Symposium on Legality Verified Wood 2010.
I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to allparticipants for your understanding and cooperation in the promotion offorestry administration. It is my great pleasure to note the presence ofmany distinguished guests. From Indonesia, we have with us Dr.
Muhamand Firman, Director of Forest Product Processing and Marketingof Ministry of Forestry, and 31 other participants representing the Ministryof Forestry and the forestry industry of Indonesia. From the State ofSarawak in Malaysia, we have here with us 13 representatives ofgovernment agencies and the forestry industry. Other guests in thissymposium include participants from the United States, China, and Europe.
As you well know, the 16th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 16) is currently taking
place in Mexico. Forestry related issues constitute one of the important
subjects of the Conference, with special emphasis on the pressing questionof how to cope with deforestation in developing countries from theperspective of climate change.
Illegal logging is one of the factors directly contributing to deforestationand forest degradation. Not only does illegal logging damage the forest
ecosystem but it is also widely acknowledged to pose a major challenge tomaintaining biodiversity and pursuing sustainable forestry management.
Yet another problem of illegal logging is that it supplies wood to theinternational markets at unfairly low prices that do not properly reflectcosts. This upsets the distribution of wood in Japan and other wood
consuming countries, raising fears of a seriously negative impact onforestry and forestry industries.
Reflecting its adherence to the basic principle that “We will not use illegallylogged wood,” Japan has taken positive action against illegal logging. For
instance, based on the provisions of the Law on Promoting Green
Purchasing, in fiscal 2000 Japan introduced measures mandating
government procurement of legality and sustainability verified wood and1

wood products. Considerable progress has been made in related areas. Asystem has been developed for supplying “Gohowood,” or legality verified
wood, with approximately 7,700 businesses throughout Japan currently
participating.
Based on the Joint Announcement and Action Plan concerning
countermeasures to illegal logging signed by Japan and Indonesia in 2003,
our two countries are working jointly to develop various technologies, suchas a wood tracking system.
During this symposium, I understand that various presentations will begiven on programs being implemented in Japan, as well as presentations on
initiatives being pursued by such wood producing countries as Indonesiaand Malaysia, and by such wood consuming countries as the European
Union and the United States.
I believe this symposium provides an excellent opportunity for allparticipants to share information on countermeasures to illegal logging inJapan and other countries. It is my most earnest hope that this gatheringand sharing of information will add greater momentum to activities aimed
at eliminating illegally logged wood from the markets of the world.
The United Nations has designated 2011 as the International Year ofForests. We welcome this designation as a valuable opportunity to raise
global awareness of the importance of sustainable forestry management
and preservation. We also look forward to the International Year of Forests
to inform the people of Japan and the rest of the world of our undertakings
aimed at rehabilitating Japan’s forests and forestry industry.
I would like to conclude my remarks by extending to you my best wishes forthe success of everyone gathered here today and to request the continued
cooperation of all participants in promoting countermeasures to illegal
logging.
Thank you.

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