2021 Volume 103 Issue 1 Pages 13-21
This study revealed the impact by the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident on production of non-timber forest products by using various government statistics and public documents, and considered further study. As a result, in post-accident policy, the number of food safety inspections as measures have still remained high, so that the measures for production have focused on how to resume and maintain production. Many commodities in Fukushima and surrounding four surrounding prefectures showed a sharp drop in production right after the earthquake, and any recovery has yet to be confirmed. A severe depression of mushroom and charcoal production depending on logs produced in Fukushima occurred. The impact of this has extended to some parts of western Japan, and as the background of this, there were restriction of forestry management and decline in the supply of logs in accordance with the index value setting. The number of producers has declined sharply in Fukushima and four surrounding prefectures, and this has caused the decline in sales prices of products and sudden rise of log prices, and moreover, producers' business deterioration has been of concern. As such, the effects of the nuclear accident are long-term and widespread. Further investigation is required to understand the actual status of material logs distribution and root cause of sluggish sales prices, and for in-depth analysis of the situation on a regional scale.
