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Japan
Wood Products Prices
Dollar
Exchange Rates of 16th July
2007
Japan
Yen 121.85
Reports
From Japan
Market for Southsea lumber and logs remains dull
At the late June meeting of the Japan Southsea Lumber Conference’s Tokyo Chapter, it was
recommended that plywood manufacturers in Japan should lower prices for orders of Southsea logs, due to inactive transactions of
plywood. The general market conditions remained weak. However, one staff member of a trading company noted
that prices of small diameter logs were weakening in producing centers, due to slowing demand from China and
Japan. While Japan’s total imports of Southsea logs in April 2007 had recovered from March 2007, shipments
were largely down. Imports of sawn lumber showed a 15.1% year-on-year drop, while processed
lumber increased 3.1%. China and Malaysia were exporting an increasing amount of processed lumber, while Indonesia’s exports to Japan decreased 22.3% from a year ago.
JLIA redoubles efforts to curb illegal logging
Japan Lumber Journal recently reported that the members of the Japan Lumber Importers’
Association (JLIA) would promote measures to address illegal logging as part of its
business plan for 2007. In particular, the Association would step up efforts to participate in conferences
that address illegal logging and would investigate imports and sales results of legally certified
timber. At the same meeting, the Association appointed Shoichi
Takahashi,director, vice-president and executive officer of Sumitomo Forestry Co. Ltd, as its new Chairman.
Japanese housing starts record further slide in May
Total housing starts decreased 10.7% from May 2006 and fell 9.5% from April 2007. Wood-based units accounted
for 45% of the total housing starts, just slightly up from 42% in the previous month.
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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 |
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