Wood Industry News from Japan

Japan wood product prices were up 8.5% year over year in September.

United States remained the largest buyer as its share fell 9.1 pp; Thailand's share rose 4.9 pp.

Japanese corporate goods prices, Slovenian roundwood purchases, Swedish felling notifications, Chinese producer prices and U.S. import prices are scheduled.

Canada became the largest supplier with a 25.0% share by value; the top five countries accounted for 74.5% of import value.

Wooden starts rose 6.3% to 39,392 units; January–August starts were up 2.2% from a year earlier.

Price for plywood imported to Japan rose 4%.

China manufacturing PMI arrives Wednesday as U.S. construction spending is due Thursday.

Compared with August 2025, production was up 2%.

Regional constraints, limited plantation expansion and infrastructure barriers will restrict how much additional softwood roundwood reaches markets.

Plywood prices rose 25.8% year over year, while wooden log prices gained 0.9% in August.

Partnership targets 50,000 to 180,000 hectares in Vietnam with Alternate Wetting and Drying carbon credit potential.

NPCE subsidiary in Hungary faced EV market slowdown and intensifying global competition.

Thailand gained 12 percentage points of South Korea's hardwood chips imports; South Korea imported 307 thousand tonnes.

The Takaoka City sawmill uses steam heating and integrated steam basins to reduce heating times and provide precisely controlled drying.

The plan aims to expand domestic wood supply after softwood log imports fell from 12.2 million m3 in 2000 to 1.6 million m3 in 2025.

The law also directs the Department of Housing and Urban Development to identify financing barriers for modular housing and study a federal building standard.

Existing U.S. builders posted lower deliveries and prices, while timber manufacturing turned loss-making even as housing volumes rose in Australia and Japan.

Gains in China, Taiwan, Mexico, Pakistan, South Korea and Hong Kong offset only about 4% of the U.S. volume decline.

Wooden homes account for 59.4% of new housing starts, while first-half housing starts post modest year-over-year growth.

Second washing unit and refiner scheduled for May 2028 startup to support capacity expansion.

Latin America remains a low‑cost source at about 95 million m3 annually while Oceania’s supply may fall by roughly three million m3 by 2035.

Additional funding will support production ramp-up at the Huntsville facility, which is scheduled to begin manufacturing this summer and create demand for 100,000 m3 of underutilized wood.

India took 73% of shipments.

Cedar and Spruce/Fir stud lumber rose year-on-year while cypress fell and softwood plywood held steady.

Funding will support low-carbon wood technologies, mass timber housing, Indigenous participation and export diversification while ministers review Task Force recommendations

Japan and the United States were the largest destinations, accounting for about 25% and 23% of volume respectively.

Japan became the largest destination after U.S. duties hit Indonesia’s shipments.

Decades-old Finnish-Japanese trading firm brings local networks as Japan's sawmill industry automates production lines.

Joint venture deepens Rengo-Sumitomo partnership as second-generation bioethanol moves toward market.

Wooden housing starts decrease 26.9% while monthly figures rise from February levels.

Two-plant operator in Aichi becomes Rengo affiliate after investment follows 2024 supply agreement.

Kiln-dried cedar prices rise in some sizes, while kiln-dried cypress prices fall year over year in one key size and stud lumber posts gains.