Organizer’s Opening Address for the International Seminar on Goho-Wood 2012

As just introduced, my name is Motoaki Okuma.
Let me express my gratitude to all of you for gathering here from early in themorning to attend today’s International Seminar on Goho-Wood 2012.
Today in particular, we have many participants, including five guest commentatorsfrom overseas. On behalf of the organizer, I would like to extend a heartfelt welcome
and appreciation to all of you.
In Japan, efforts to establish and disseminate a supply system for legality-verified
wood, which we call “goho-wood,” based on Forest Agency guidelines, have been mademainly by related industry groups in order to respond to international trends, in terms ofmeasures to control illegal logging, strengthen the Forest Act, and promote trade. Thissystem, in which the wood’s legality and other information about wood and wood
products are conveyed to consumers through a series of certificates issued by member
companies authorized by related industry groups following a specific procedure, haswidely spread throughout Japan.
We believe that this activity, viewed worldwide as Japan’s commitment togoho-wood, has the potential of becoming a global standard, rather than only remainingthat of Japan. Today’s schedule follows a meeting of the Board of Directors of theInternational Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO), which ended yesterday, and I
expect that this seminar will provide a good opportunity for those from overseas
involved in the Organization to expand their wisdom and discuss future prospects.
In Part 1 in the morning, a speech by Executive Director Akihiko Araya of theForest Economic Research Institute is scheduled where reports will be made fromvarious angles on Japan’s efforts to verify the legality of woods, which are aimed at theillegal logging issue. In Part 2 in the afternoon, with Chief Takeshi Toma of thePartnership Promotion Office of the Forestry and Forest Products Research Institutepresiding as Chair, participants, including overseas guests, will hold a discussion under
the theme “The significance of and problems in Japan’s verification of the legality ofwood and wood products, from an international perspective.” I am very happy both
excellent Japanese leading forestry economist and scientist kindly take the role ofcoordinators of this seminar.
My specialty is the processing and utilization of wood. I would like to voice mypersonal opinion from the perspective of my specialty. The purpose of people who1

utilize wood is to create good products and build good houses. To this end, top priority
must be placed on securing wood as a raw material whose quality and performance has
been verified. However, Goho-Wood and Certified Forest Products are not products
whose quality has been guaranteed. So, I believe that cooperation is needed with such
systems as the Japan Agricultural Standards (JAS) that define quality.
In other words, lumber and wood products, unlike industrial products such as steeland plastics, are biological resources that are produced naturally in a forest. Whenconsidering our close relationship with forests and their environmental preservation, weshould be deeply aware that wood products are special products that need to be properly
judged through a comprehensive evaluation that incorporates evaluations of legality,performance of environmental preservation, and resource sustainability, in addition toquality assurance.
The production and utilization of wood is positioned as a basic system forsustainably securing and utilizing resources that supports the 21st century. I believe thatin the course of establishing such a system, our efforts related to goho-wood will play
an important role.
We would appreciate it if you recognize the significance of our efforts related togoho-wood from a global perspective and express your candid opinions, which will beincorporated into our efforts related to goho-wood.
Thank you very much for your attention.
November 11, 2012
Motoaki Okuma
Chairmanthe Council for Tackling Illegal Logging
and Promotion of Goho-wood
Japan Federation of Wood-industry Associations

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