Conflict and Harmony Associated with Utilization of Forest and Common Grassland through Japanese Modernization

Abstract

According to the vegetation in Monsoon Asia where Indonesia and Japan are located, we have the unique characteristic that lands in the area are not suitable for grasslands, but suitable for forest lands. The characteristic is unchangeable over centuries, therefore how to utilize lands and _how to produce agricultural products in the area must depend on the characteristic.
Japan is the first modernized country in Monsoon Asian countries. Japanese experiencies associated with utilization of forest and common grassland through the modernization are as follows:
(1) In pre-modernization period, forest and grasslands were used in common by farmers. Under the land utilization system, lands used for agricultural and forest production were properly allocated among arable land, grassland and forest land.
(2) After the Meiji restration, property rights of the common lands became to be owned by the government. Though, the possetion of the common lands' use rights by farmers were still allowed.
(3) After the begining of the modernization, the government introduced a new forest land use policy. The government tried to prohibit the possetion of the common lands' use rights by farmers, so as to utilize the common lands for timber production.
(4) Grassland had a very important role for agricultural production and farm management in those days. Almost all of grasslands were common grasslands. Therefore, it was almost impossible to prohibit the common lands' use for farmers without severe damages to farm economy. Through discussions in parliament and some institutional devises for forest land use, finally the possetion of the common lands' use rights by farmers became to be allowed. Through the discussion process, the utilization of forest lands owned by the government was adjusted not to be inconsistent with but to harmonize with the traditional use of common grasslands.