2. Forest, Forestry, and Wood Products Industry in Reconstruction Policies

#### 2.1. Reconstruction Policy of Government

In June 2011, the “Reconstruction Design Council in response to the Great East Japan Earthquake” developed its report of recommendations, entitled “Towards Reconstruction- Hope Beyond the Disaster.” The report emphasized the idea of “disaster reduction” so that the damage from natural disasters could be minimized.

In July 2011, the Government developed the fundamental reconstruction policy, titled the “Basic Guidelines for Reconstruction in Response to the Great East Japan Earthquake.” The Guidelines provide an overall picture of the actions of the Government with respect to the reconstruction, focusing on “building disaster resistant and resilient regions,” “restoration of life in communities,” “revival of local economic activities,” “nation-building which incorporate lessons learnt from the Great Earthquake,” and “reconstruction from the nuclear accident,” while setting the timeframe for reconstruction at 10 years, where the first five years represent a “concentrated reconstruction period”

Regarding forest, forestry, and wood products industry, the Guidelines propose to revitalize the forestry and timber industry as an independent local key industry, promote the use of woods harvested in the disaster-affected areas for reconstruction of housing and public buildings, and establish energy supply systems centered on environmentally-friendly wood-based biomass (see BOX).

BOX: Text of the “Basic Guidelines for Reconstruction” (excerpt)

5. Policies and Measures for Reconstruction- (3) Revival of Local Economic Activities- (4) Forestry

(i) Revitalize forestry and timber industry as an independent local key industry. Establish sustainable forest management by concentration of forest facilities and network building. Advance construction of efficient wood processing and distribution system including restoration of disaster-affected lumber sawing/plywood manufacturing factories and other companies and promote the use of woods made in the disaster affected areas for housing and public buildings

(ii) Promote the application of cogeneration to reconstruction housing, public buildings, common facilities such as fishery cooperative associations and horticultural facilities, as leading model utilizing wooden disaster waste. In the long run, establish sustainable forest management/energy supply systems centered on environmentally-friendly wood-based biomass by shifting to energy supply with wooden resources such as unused forest thinning in the future

#### 2.2. Reconstruction Policies of Local Governments

Four disaster-affected prefectures, Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima, have developed reconstruction policies since April 2011. Those policies cover reconstruction activities in the forestry and wood products industries, including the rapid recovery of the wood products industry, restoration of coastal forests, revival of forestry activities, and promotion of woody biomass use. Some of the reconstruction policies developed by disaster-affected municipalities also contain provisions to support reconstruction actions in forestry and the wood products industry.