Japan Wood Products Prices

01-15th May 2007

Japan Wood Products Prices
Dollar Exchange Rates of  15th May  2007
Japan Yen 120.26
Reports From Japan

Japanese housing starts rebound in March
Total housing starts fell to 99,488 units in March, up 6% from a year ago and the first increase in three months (see chart). The surge was due to increases in own and built-for-sale houses. Wood-based units accounted for 41% of the total housing starts, down from 42% in the previous month. Seasonally adjusted annual housing starts rose to just over 1.3 million in March for the first time since December 2006.

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

Source: ITTO'  Tropical Timber Market Report