Japan – Page 3 – Cintrafor

A Technical Assessment of the North American-Style 2×4 Residential Construction System in Japan

Authors: Ivan L. Eastin, Tom C. Ossinger, Roger B. Williams, Steven R. Shook, Robert Hashizume and Joseph A. Roos Executive SummaryAnecdotal information from US architects and contractors with experience in residential construction projects in Japan indicates that Japanese construction professionals often do not fully understand the North American-style 2×4 construction system and often employ construction techniques […]

The Changing Japanese Housing Market: An Assessment of US Export Strategies for Prefabricated Wooden Housing and Building Materials

Authors: Ivan L. Eastin and Anne Rahikainen Executive SummaryIntroductionThe Japanese market for prefabricated homes and wooden building materials has tremendous potential for US firms, particularly those located in the Pacific Northwest. For example, exports of prefabricated housing to Japan increased by 51% from 1994 to 1995, with 81% of these exports originating from the Pacific Northwest. […]

The Japanese Market for softwood Sawnwood and Changing Pacific Rim Wood Supply Conditions: Implications for US Pacific Northwest Producers

Authors: Guy Robertson and Thomas R. Waggener Executive SummaryJapan has long been Asia’s largest importer of softwood sawlogs and lumber and is the major destination for U.S- Pacific Northwest wood product exports. In the period lasting from 1980 to 1993, 3apan imported an annual average of 15.2 million CUM of softwood sawlogs and 5.4 million CUM […]

A Comparative Assessment of the North American and Japanese 2 x 4 Residential Construction Systems

Authors: Ivan Eastin, Kweku Bentil and Gerald Beltran Abstract Despite Japan’s relatively small size, residential housing starts have exceeded those in the US throughout the 1990s, totaling 1.57 million units in 1994. However, the cost of residential housing in Japan is substantially higher than in other developed countries. In an effort to address this problem, the […]

The Development of the Japanese Wood Trade: Historical Perspective and Current Trends

Authors: Jeffrey L. Moffett and Thomas R. Waggener AbstractThis paper examines Japanese forest products production, consumption and net trade trends, and the factors that have influenced these trends, from 1879 to the present. Prior to 1964, only industrial wood products are considered. After 1964, sawnwood and plywood are included. The reasons for the development of Japan’s […]

Japan’s Forest Production for Increasing Self-sufficiency: A Reassessment of Near-term Capacity and Economic Potential

Authors: Guy C. Robertson and Thomas R. Waggener AbstractThis paper presents a reassessment of the productive potential of Japan’s forest resources along with a qualified refutation of several recent studies in which Japanese domestic timber production is predicted to rise in the medium to long term. After an examination of the biological dimensions of Japan’s forest […]

Log Scaling Procedures in Japan, Their Relationship to Her Log Sources and Influence on Trade Statistics

Authors: David Briggs and Donald Flora SummaryLog measurement systems vary widely among different countries and regions within a country, sometimes with large and Inconsistent differences. A lack of understanding of these systems and their differences can sour buyer-seller relationships and cause confusion far analysts who work with trade data.Historically, major log trade flows have been between […]

An Evaluation of Japanese Softwood Construction Lumber Grading Systems and Their Implications for North American Export Lumber Producers

Authors: David G. Briggs and Nathan Dickens. Executive Summary This study has developed information regarding the softwood construction lumber market in Japan and the major types of wood-based housing markets where this lumber is used. Since a large fraction of Japan’s softwood supplies are imported from North America and as various factors influence Japan to […]