CommoditiesBack to the forest: Japan uses most homegrown trees in 48 years
Domestic supply stretched thin as biomass demand soars
Cypress logs in Japan's Tokai region: Demand for construction-related lumber fell in 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by Konatsu Ochi)
KONATSU OCHI, Nikkei staff writer
October 10, 2021 23:35 JST
TOKYO -- Despite a homebuilding industry that went into a virtual standstill during the pandemic, Japan last year used its highest rate of domestically produced lumber since 1972. The reason -- they burned more of it for energy as part of a broader decarbonization drive.