May 16, 2007. /Lesprom Network/. Sumitomo Forestry, Japan’s largest timber importer and supplier, has recently bought Kowa Lumber Co., Ltd, ITTO reported. Kowa has been involved in the establishment of timber plantations in PNG and imports of wood from that country. Sumitomo Forestry move is intended to secure wood supply. Kowa operates Open Bay Timber (OBT) in PNG’s East New Britain Island and a timber plantation of 12 500 ha. Kowa has been exporting 100000 cubic meters of logs, mostly plantation kamerere. About half of the log exports are bounded for Japan for plywood production. Kowa is currently working to obtain an FSC certificate for its PNG forest plantation.