Japan’s Wood Imports in 2021

March 2022
Wood Products Trade Office
Forestry Agency, JAPAN
1
 1. Global Wood Demand/Supply in 2021 2．Value of Wood Imports
- In 2021, housing starts in the US remained high as in last year. Increased - The value of wood imports (HS44) in 2021 was 123 billion yen, a 30%
wood demand led to soaring lumber prices. rise from the previous year. The value increased from the previous year
- COVID-19 pandemic caused the global congestion of containers at ports for the first time since 2018.
in the US and China, which led to significant increase in freight rates. - EU continues to be the top supplier for Japan by value since 2020.
- Movement restrictions and absenteeism under COVID-19 pandemic have - Most countries showed significant increases in wood imports by value
led to a severe labor shortage, resulting in production curtailment and due to the global wood price surge: EU increased by 29%, Chine by 26%,
shipment delays. Canada by 109%, Vietnam by 20%, Philippines by 22%, and Indonesia
【US lumber prices】 by 22%.
- Housing starts in the US began to increase in May 2020 as a result of “work
from home” trend and low mortgage rates. The number of actual housing
(billion yen) ＋30％
starts in 2021 was 1.595 million units, the highest level since 2006.
- In May 2021, US lumber price soared to reach $1,514/mbf. Following the 1,400
plunge thereafter, the price began to rise again, reaching $985 in December
2021. 1,235 1,229
【Soaring freight rates】 1,152 1,166
1,200
- Since the end of 2020, many maritime containers have congested at North
American ports due to the abrupt increase in US imports and limited port
capacity. In Autumn 2021, the number of containers transported from China 944 63
1,000 55 Others
to the US has suddenly increased, resulting in a global shortage of 77
containers. In China, the labor shortage at port facilities became critical due 52 101 57 Russia
91
to the spread of COVID-19. 97 88
- Global container shortage drove up the freight rates. In December 2021, The 800 101 103 Malysia
89 87 45
freight rates from the US to Japan rose by 50% to $2,750, and the rates from 113 66
98 100 112 USA
Europe to Japan by 90% to $4,290. 77
【Regional trend】 600 103 Indonesia
94 109 85 127
- North America: In Canada, many forest fires broke out in the summer of 88
2021, causing substantial decline in logging activities. In November, British 72 107 85 Philippines
Colombia suffered from historically heavy rains, which damaged major 400 98 151
118 135 Vietnam
transportation routes. 105
73
- EU: Robust construction market and DIY demands kept EU domestic wood 158 157 166 Canada
demands high. Exports to the US increased to meet enhanced wood 200 151 132
demands there. Log supply in EU was sufficient with the salvage logging of China
nematode-damaged trees. 162 156 144 133 171
EU
- SE Asia: In Malaysia and Indonesia, plywood production was limited due to 0
the shortage of labor and log supply, as well as movement restrictions under 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
COVID-19.
Source: Ministry of Finance “Trade Statistics”
- China: lumber imports from North America and Europe declined due to the
strong wood demand in the US. The volume of log imports increased by 6%,
Note: Value in 2020 are preliminary data.
Japan’s wood import value
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with 26% from New Zealand and 15% from Germany.
 3．Volume of imports by product – (1) Log (2) Lumber

- The volume of Japan’s log imports in 2021 was 2.64 million m3, a 15% - The volume of Japan’s lumber imports in 2021 was 4.83 million m3, a 2%
rise from the previous year. drop from the previous year.
- EU (share: 44%) declined by 8% to 2.15 million m3, due to the delay of
- The US (share: 69%) declined by 4% to 1.51 million m3. A major log
maritime transport and rising lumber prices. EU exported large volume
exporter in the US withdrew from export sales to Japan.
of lumber to the US, where wood demand was very high. Container
- Canada (share: 28%) increased by 174% to 746 thousand m3. shortage has led to an increase in intra-EU sales through land
Canada’s largest log exporting company resumed logging in June 2020, transportation.
after the suspension of logging during November 2019 to June 2020. - Canada (share 25%) increased by 4% to 1.23 million m3. Canadian
- NZ (share: 12%) also increased by 8% to 306 thousand m3. The volume lumber made up for the decline in US lumber imports to some extent. In
recovered after a significant decline in the previous year, but continues 2021, Japanese 2x4 housing starts increased by 3.2% from the previous
to decline in the long term. Imports from NZ have showed some delay year. The price of Canadian lumber has sharply risen due to the higher
due to the “lockdown” in the country. prices in North America.
- Russia (share: 10%) increased by 4% to 8.46 million m3.
（thousand m3） （thousand m3）
4,000 7,000
6,323
3,500 3,266 3,278 5,968 ▲2%
＋15% 6,000 5,700
3,019
3,000 4,933
2,639 850 4,830
378 382 5,000
852
2,500 355 2,301 916
306
4,000 812
948 894 Canada increased by 1,915 846
2,000 855 284 1,791
746 174％
1,483
272 3,000 1,180
1,500 1,226

Others
2,000 Others
1,000 NZ
1,638 1,681 1,579 2,812 Russia
1,517 1,511 Canada 2,539 2,532 2,339 2,148 Canada
500 1,000
USA EU

0 0
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Source: Ministry of Finance “Trade Statistics”
Volume of Log Imports
Source: Ministry of Finance “Trade Statistics”
Volume of Laminated Lumber Imports
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 (3) Plywood (4) Laminated Lumber

- The volume of Japan’s plywood imports in 2021 was 1.87 million m3, a
12% rise from the previous year. The volume has been decreasing - The volume of Japan‘s laminated lumber imports in 2021 was 967
since 2019 with higher prices, but the trend reversed in 2021 due to the thousand m3 (including 832 thousand m3 of structural LL), a 5% drop
shortage of domestic inventories. from the previous year.
- Malaysia (share: 42%) increased by 13% to 795 thousand m3 due to the - EU (share: 76%) decreased by 12% to 733 thousand m3 due to the
shortage of domestic inventories. However, supply was limited by labor higher wood demand in the US and Europe, as well as rising wood
shortages and soaring freight rates. prices and delay in maritime transport.
- Indonesia (share: 38%) increased by 2% to 715 thousand m3, similarly
as Malaysia. In late 2021, Indonesia changed export destination from - Among EU countries, Finland decreased by 6%, Romania by 26%, and
the US to Japan to avoid port congestions in the US, resulting in Austria by 5%.
increase of Japan’s imports. - Russia (share: 9%) increased by 8% to 84 thousand m3 . China
- Vietnam (share: 11%) increased by 54% to 207 thousand m3. The (share:10%) also increased by 65% to 93 thousand m3.
volume has been increasing, substituting Malaysia and Indonesia.
（thousand m3） （thousand m3）
2,500 1,200 ▲5%
2,242 2,275
＋12%
1,022
983 973 967
1,000 936
2,000 140 190 1,916
1,865 78
69
90 56 84
1,660 57 76
137 800 52
207 52 93
783
1,500 883 134 EU decreased
by 12％
770 600
715
702 Others Others
1,000
Vietnam 400 835 Russia
798 767
748 733
Indonesia China
1,161
500 1,034 EU
855 795
Malaysia 200
704

0 0
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Source: Ministry of Finance “Trade Statistics” Source: Ministry of Finance “Trade Statistics” 4
Volume of Plywood Imports Volume of Laminated Lumber Imports
 (5) Wood Chip (6) Wood Pellet

- The volume of Japan’s wood chip imports in 2021 was 110 million tons,
a 16% rise from the previous year.
- In 2021, COVID-19 pandemic decreased paper demand. But, in 2021,
the spread of online shopping increased demand for packaging paper.
The shipment in domestic paper and cardboard rose by 2.4% from the
previous year.
- Vietnam (share: 38%) increased by 25% to 4.13 million tons. Vietnam’s
lower prices led to a higher market share.
- Australia (share: 18%) increased by 32% to meet higher domestic paper
demands, while Chile (share: 10%) declined by 25%.
- The volume of Japan’s wood pellet imports in 2021 was 3.12 million ton,
a 54% rise from the previous year.
- Vietnam (share: 53%) increased by 41% to 1.65 million tons, Vietnam
can supply forest certified wood pellets required for co-combustion use
in thermal power plants in Japan.
- Canada (share: 34%) increased by 79% with higher operation rates in
pellet plants.
- Malaysia (share: 5%) declined by 3%.

（thousand MT） （thousand MT） ＋54%

14,000 3,500
＋16%
12,449 3,117
12,170 12,171
12,000 3,000
10,996
156

10,000 9,491 2,500

2,028 1,058 Canada

8,000 2,000 Increased
160 by ＋79％
1,867 1,570 1,614
1,979 1,060
Others
6,000 Others 1,500 52 593
1,419 Malaysia
2,430 1,947 Chile
2,618 1,060 590
Canada
4,000 2,633 1,476 Australia 1,000 10
1,647 Vietnam
Vietnam
506 633
1,169
2,000 4,132 Vietnam increased 500 8 887
3,323 3,655 3,306
2,735 by ＋25% 360
374
0 131
0
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Source: Ministry of Finance “Trade Statistics” Source: Ministry of Finance “Trade Statistics”

Volume of Wood Chip Imports Volume of Wood Pellet Imports

5