Abstract
We examined whether FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification changed the market structure of certificated organizations in Japan to evaluate the effect of the certification on the promotion of timber sales. In July 2007, we conducted a questionnaire survey and interviews with 5 forest owners' cooperatives among 11 forest certificated organizations. The survey revealed that only three cooperatives sold certificated timber, in two of which cooperatives the changes in the market structure enabled the sales of certificated timber. One of the two cooperatives established a system for selling certificated timber to end-users, but the other had not succeeded to establish it despite of its effort. In addition, some forest owners' cooperative answered that there was a poor demand for certificated timber. These results indicated; forest certificated organizations should establish a steady system for supplying certificated timber to every end-users by deliberate obtaining forest certification; they should make more effort to create great demand for certificated timber.
