Member State: Japan
Date/Forum session that voluntary national contributions were announced: UNFF19, May 2024
Date voluntary national contributions transmitted to secretariat through Permanent Mission tothe United Nations: 24 April 2024

Japan’s Voluntary National Contribution to the United Nations
The Government of Japan (GOJ) promotes forest and forestry policy based on the ”Forest andForestry Basic Act ”(Act No. 161 of 1964) to achieve the fulfilment of multiple functions of forests andsustainable and sound development of forestry. The latest revision of the Basic Plan for Forest andForestry (BPFF), Cabinet decision in June 2021, aims to realize so called “Green Growth” that enhances
the social and economic growth and contributes to carbon neutrality through the growth anddevelopment of the forestry and wood industry while enhancing its inherent sustainability and enabling
people to enjoy the benefits of the multiple functions of forests.
Five points of measures in the BPFF are as follows.
1. Appropriate management and utilization of forest resources
2. Development of initiatives for the “New forestry” that utilizes new technologies to improve
productivity and safety, which will enable a shift toward a positive balance of income and expenditure
for logging to reforestation and silviculture processes.
3. Strengthening the competitiveness of wood industry
4. Creation of the “Second Forests” in urban areas that means increasing wood use in urban buildings
5. Creation of a new value for rural communities in hilly and mountainous areas
Currently, planted forests account for about 40% of the forest area in Japan, and the majority of them
are in the utilization phase, with over half the area is aged 50 years and above. In order to use forest
resources appropriately and to secure the multiple functions of forests in the future, GOJ set the goals in
the BPFF to steadily increase the volume of forest resources while maintaining the current forest area,
and to create balanced and diverse forests with a variety of growth stages and tree species. To achievethese goals, GOJ shall promote sound harvesting and reforestation of planted forests in suitable forestry
areas. Other planted forests are to be converted to multi-layered forests or mixed forests of conifers andbroadleaf trees depending on its natural conditions. At the same time, natural forests are to be
maintained in an appropriate manner.
For the funding of promoting forest management activities based on the philosophy that the multiple
functions of forests benefit the public at large so each citizen divides the burden of it and support forforests in Japan, The Forest Environment Tax and the Forest Environment Transfer Tax were introduced
in 2019.
At the same time, utilizing wood, a renewable resource, produced from sustainably managed forests
can therefore significantly contribute to achieve decarbonation and circular economy. we regard thesustainable wood use through are produced by sustainable forest management as strongly contributes tocarbon neutrality and circular economy. In this context, Japan had put the not only sustainable forest
management but also sustainable wood use in G7 summit communique in May 2023 at Hiroshima Japan.
In the various initiatives for the Global Forest Goals (GFGs) below, the above-mentioned five pointsof measures and "Comprehensive and systematic measures to be taken by the Government on forests andforestry" under BPFF, and other strategies of GOJ consistent with the GFGs should be described.

- 1 -Global Forest Goal 1Reverse the loss of forest cover worldwide through SFM, including protection, restoration, afforestation
and reforestation, and increase efforts to prevent forest degradation and contribute to the global effort ofaddressing climate change.

1.1 Forest area is increased by 3% worldwide.
・Ensure proper forestry practices
・Promoting replanting after harvesting・Contributing to achieve carbon neutrality
・People’s Participation in Forest Management
・International cooperation and contribution

1.2 The world’s forest carbon stocks are maintained or enhanced.

・Promoting proper forestry practices, such as thinning of planted forests
・Contributing to achieve carbon neutrality

1.3 By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt
deforestation, restore degraded forests and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally.
・Ensure proper forestry practices
・Consolidate forests of multiple owners and implement forestry operations integrally
・Promoting replanting after harvesting・People’s Participation in Forest Management

1.4 The resilience and adaptive capacity of all types of forests to natural disasters and the impacts ofclimate change is significantly strengthened worldwide.
・Promoting land conservation
・Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) projects- The Project for Natural Disaster Management in Forest Areas in Uttarakhand, India- The Project on Capacity Building for Ecosystem Based Disaster Risk Reduction (Eco-DRR) throughSustainable Forest Management in North Macedonia
・Food and Agriculture Organization(FAO) project- Enhancing community resilience to climate change in mountain watersheds

Global Forest Goal 2
Enhance forest-based economic, social and environmental benefits, including by improving thelivelihoods of forest dependent people.

2.1 Extreme poverty for all forest dependent people is eradicated.

2.2 Increase the access of small-scale forest enterprises, in particular in developing countries, tofinancial services, including affordable credit, and their integration into value chains and markets.

- 2 -2.3 The contribution of forests and trees to food security is significantly increased.
・Promoting production of non-timber forest products
・The Basic plan for Food, Agriculture and Rural Areas (Setting targets on Mushrooms production)
・The Strategy for Sustainable Food System, MIDORI (Maximize CO2 absorption and sequestration by
fully utilizing forests and timber toward carbon neutral in para 4 (7))
・JICA project- The Project for Strengthening Forestry Sector Development and Community Resilience to Climate
Change through Sustainable Forest Management and Landscape Restoration in Kenya
2.4 The contribution of forest industry, other forest-based enterprises and forest ecosystem services tosocial, economic and environmental development, among others, is significantly increased.
・Research and Development of Technology and dissemination of the technologies
・Creation of new value for rural communities in hilly and mountainous areas
・Policies for sustainable and sound development of forestry
・JICA projects- The Project for Strengthening Forestry Sector Development and Community Resilience to Climate
Change through Sustainable Forest Management and Landscape Restoration (SFS -CORECC) inKenya (Technical support to Commercial Forestry implementers: Strengthen technical support for
Melia promotion.)- Capacity development project for reducing carbon emissions from forest degradation throughcommercial logging in PNG by improving monitoring system of forest logging operations
2.5 The contribution of all types of forests to biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation
and adaptation is enhanced, taking into account the mandates and ongoing work of relevant conventions
and instruments.
・Conservation of Biodiversity
・The National Biodiversity Strategy 2023-2030
・Plan for Global Warming Countermeasures
・Climate Change Adaptation Plan・JICA projects- The Project for Natural Disaster Management in Forest Areas in Uttarakhand, India- The Project on Climate Change Adaptation through Sustainable Forest Management in Nepal- The Project for strengthening of natural resource management of forest and wetland ecosystems
for contributing to climate change mitigation in Peruvian Amazon in Peru・Human resources support to FAO for scaling up sustainable forest management and wood use

Global Forest Goal 3
Increase significantly the area of protected forests worldwide and other areas of sustainably managedforests, as well as the proportion of forest products from sustainably managed forests.

3.1 The area of forests worldwide designated as protected areas or conserved through other effectivearea-based conservation measures is significantly increased.
・Promoting inducement of coniferous planted forests into multi-layered forests and conservation ofnaturally regenerating forests
・The National Forest Management Program (designates and manages “Protected Forests” and“Green Corridors” in order to conserve biodiversity)
・The National Biodiversity Strategy 2023-2030- 3 -3.2 The area of forests under long-term forest management plans is significantly increased.
・Consolidate forests of multiple owners and implement forestry operations integrally

3.3 The proportion of forest products from sustainably managed forests is significantly increased.
・Establishment of an ideal forestry structure
・Stabilize the supply of logs
・Foster consumers understanding for the wood products from sustainably managed forests
・ITTO projects-Promoting Sustainable Wood Use in wood producing countries

Global Forest Goal 4
Mobilize significantly increased, new and additional financial resources from all sources for theimplementation of SFM and strengthen scientific and technical cooperation and partnerships.

4.1 Mobilize significant resources from all sources and at all levels to finance sustainable forest
management and provide adequate incentives to developing countries to advance such management,
including for conservation and reforestation.
・People’s Participation in Forest Management (The Forest Environment Tax and the Forest
Environment Transfer Tax)
・International cooperation and contribution
・JICA development assistance - Technical Cooperation Project, Technical Cooperation forDevelopment Planning / Development Study, ODA Loan, ODA Grant
・Financial and human resources support to the International Organizations such as FAO andInternational Tropical Timber Organization(ITTO)
4.2 Forest-related financing from all sources at all levels, including public (national, bilateral,multilateral and triangular), private and philanthropic financing is significantly increased.
・International cooperation and contribution
・JICA development assistance - ODA Loan, ODA Grant
・Bilateral or Multilateral Cooperation Projects through FAO and ITTO

4.3 North-South, South-South, North-North and triangular cooperation and public-private partnerships
on science, technology and innovation in the forest sector are significantly enhanced and increased.

4.4 The number of countries which have developed and implemented forest financing strategies andhave access to financing from all sources is significantly increased.
・JICA projects- The Project for Strengthening Forestry Sector Development and Community Resilience to Climate
Change through Sustainable Forest Management and Landscape Restoration (SFS -CORECC) inKenya (Explore opportunities to access to available green financ e for scaling up the projectoutcomes)- 4 -- The Project on Enhancing Sustainable Natural Resource Management Phase 2 in Viet Nam (Assistin promoting the National REDD+ Action Program including support for getting access to theexternal financial sources)- The Project for Enhancing Sustainable Forest Management in Collaboration with REDD+ Programs
and REDD+ Funds in Lao-PDR (Support in receiving the payment from the FCPF Carbon Fund)- The Project for Community-Based Landscape Management for Enhanced Climate Resilience andReduction of Deforestation in Critical Watersheds in Timor-Leste (GCF fund entrusted)- Project for Operationalization of the National Forest Monitoring System and REDD+ Pilot in DRC(CAFI fund entrusted)

4.5 The collection, availability and accessibility of forest-related information is improved through, forexample, multi-disciplinary scientific assessments.
・Research and Development of Technology and dissemination of the technologies
・Global Forest Resources Assessment 2025 Country report

Global Forest Goal 5
Promote governance frameworks to implement SFM, including through the UN Forest Instrument, andenhance the contribution of forests to the 2030 Agenda.

5.1 Number of countries which have integrated forests into their national sustainable development plans
and/or poverty reduction strategies is significantly increased.
・JICA projects- The Project for Strengthening Forestry Sector Development and Community Resilience to Climate
Change through Sustainable Forest Management and Landscape Restoration (SFS -CORECC) inKenya (review policies, strategies and plans of sustainable forest management)- The Project on Enhancing Sustainable Natural Resource Management Phase 2 in Viet Nam (assistin formulating sustainable forest management program)
5.2 Forest law enforcement and governance are enhanced, including through significantly stre ngthening
national and subnational forest authorities, and illegal logging and associated trade is significantly
reduced worldwide.
・Promotion of Distribution and Use of Legally Harvested Wood and Wood Products through theClean Wood Act
・JICA project- The Project for improving control of illegal deforestation through advanced SAR and AItechnologies in the Brazilian Amazon (Measurement for illegal logging)
・ITTO projects-Promoting Legal and Sustainable Supply Chains

5.3 National and subnational forest-related policies and programs are coherent, coordinated andcomplementary across ministries, departments and authorities, consistent with national laws, and engage
relevant stakeholders, local communities and indigenous peoples, fully recognizing the UN Declarationon the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
・The forest planning system (The Forest Act and the Forest and Forestry Basic Act)・Promoting appropriate forestry practices under the Forest planning system
・Improving accuracy of forest-related Information and its appropriate use- 5 -5.4 Forest-related issues and the forest sector are fully integrated into decision -making processes of land
use planning and development.
・The Forest planning system(The Forest Act and the Forest and Forestry Basic Act)

Global Forest Goal 6
Enhance cooperation, coordination, coherence and synergies on forest -related issues at all levels,
including within the UN System and across CPF member organizations, as well as across sectors andrelevant stakeholders.

6.1 Forest-related programmes within the UN system are coherent and complementary and integrate theGlobal Forest Goals and targets where appropriate.

6.2 Forest-related programmes across CPF member organizations are coherent and complementary andtogether encompass the multiple contributions of forests and the forest sector to the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development.

6.3 Cross-sectoral coordination and cooperation to promote SFM and halt deforestation and forest
degradation is significantly enhanced at all levels.
・JICA project- The Project for Strengthening Forestry Sector Development and Community Resilience to Climate
Change through Sustainable Forest Management and Landscape Restoration (SFS -CORECC) inKenya (Regional collaboration)
・FAO project- Building global capacity on halting deforestation and conversions from agricultural commodities
6.4 A greater common understanding of the concept of SFM is achieved and an associated set ofindicators is identified.
・People’s Participation in Forest Management (International Day of Forest)
6.5 The input and involvement of major groups and other relevant stakeholders in the implementation ofthe UNSPF and in the work of work of the Forum, including intersessional work, is strengthened.

Reference materials
Forest and Forestry Basic Act
Basic Act on Food, Agriculture and Rural Areas
Strategy for Sustainable Food Systems, MIDORI
Basic Act on Biodiversity
The National Biodiversity Strategy of Japan
Climate Change Adaptation Act
About the Clean Wood Act
Sustainable Wood Use- 6 -