Japan Wood Products
Prices
Dollar Exchange Rates of
15th June. 2009
Japan Yen 98.68
Reports From Japan
Japan submits bill to House promoting wood use
Japan Lumber Reports has indicated the Liberal
Democratic Party and Komeito submitted a bill to the
House of Representatives that promotes wood use in
public facilities and wood-based housing. The bill, which
is designed to contribute to the prevention of global
warming, includes measures for deregulating the Building
Standards Act and the dissemination of knowledge about
carbon fixation through the utilization of wood. Other
measures in the bill include tax benefits and finance for
builders using wood in construction.
Southsea logs imports to Japan plummet 40%
Japan Lumber Reports (JLR) noted Japan’s imports of
Southsea lumber fell by more than 40% during the first
quarter of 2009 from the same period in 2008. With
plywood mills curtailing production by 20-30% for nearly
four months straight compared to the previous year’s
levels, Southsea log prices have also continued to fall.
Nevertheless, log inventories are dropping so it is expected
that log arrivals in May and June would increase inventory
levels to about 60,000 m³.
Japan’s housing starts and plywood imports continue to slow
In March 2009, Japan’s plywood imports fell 10% from
the same month in 2008 (Figure 1), reported Japan
Lumber Reports (JLR). Housing starts in March were
20.7% less than the same month of 2008, with wood-based
units also down 21% (Figure 2).
|
Abbreviations
| LM Loyale Merchant, a grade of log parcel |
Cu.m
Cubic Metre |
| QS Qualite Superieure |
Koku 0.278 Cu.m or 120BF |
| CI Choix Industriel
|
FFR
French Franc |
| CE
Choix Economique |
SQ
Sawmill Quality |
| CS Choix Supplimentaire |
SSQ
Select Sawmill Quality |
| FOB Free-on-Board |
FAS Sawnwood Grade First and |
| KD Kiln Dry |
Second |
| AD Air Dry |
WBP Water and Boil Proof |
| Boule A Log Sawn Through and Through |
MR
Moisture Resistant |
|
the boards from one log are bundled |
pc per piece |
|
together |
ea
each |
| BB/CC Plywood
grades. Letter(s) on the left indicate face veneer(s), those on the right backing
veneer(s). Veneer grade decreases in order B, BB, C, CC, etc. |
MBF 1000 Board Feet
|
|
Plywood |
MDF Medium
Density Fibreboard |
| BF Board Foot |
F.CFA
CFA Franc
|
| Sq.Ft Square
Foot |
PHND
Pin hole no defect grade |
| Hoppus ton 1.8 cubic metres |
  Price has moved up or down |
|
|
|
