The Influence of the Nuclear Disaster on the Wood Supply and Demand and the Present Situation of Forestry and Wood Industry in Fukushima Prefecture

Abstract

The study aimed to clarify the influence of the nuclear disaster on the wood supply and demand and the present situation of forestry and wood industry in Fukushima. Reconstructing the facilities damaged by tsunami and earthquake was partly completed, however, the aftermath of it remains yet. After the disaster, the wood demand rate greatly increased, nevertheless the amount of material production stagnated, so that the imported wood ratio from other prefectures exceeded. The timber price slightly differed from the country's trend, the increase rate was low, and price of roundwood and stumpage price and gross forestry output production decreased than before. In comparative analysis across the areas, the timber demand declined in Soso area in which Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant was, and the supply and demand balance was also altered in other areas. The restriction of forestry management owing to the nuclear disaster and the wood price fall stalled the material production and changed the balance of wood production and distribution in Fukushima. Whereas the reconstruction has been progressing in midstream and downstream, the deterioration of management in upstream is getting worse. To reconstruct forestry, measures are needed to improve the upstream process with consideration of situation in Soso area.