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Japan
Wood Products Prices
Dollar
Exchange Rates of 31th January 2007
Japan
Yen 120.80
Reports
From Japan
Japanese imports of plywood outpace 2005 levels
Japanese imports of plywood surged to 468,267 m3 in November 2006, up 21% from a year earlier, the second
highest level in the year and the fifth consecutive increase. By import source, 251,000 m3 came from Malaysia (up
35.3%), 143,000 m3 from Indonesia (down 4.9%) and
58,000 m3 from China (up 59%). China’s accumulated plywood exports through October totalled 565,000 m3, up
53% from 2005. Japan’s total plywood imports were 6.1% above pace in 2005. However, domestic plywood prices in
Japan weakened slightly in November and December,
particularly for thin plywood, due to sluggish demand during those months.
Housing starts surge for the fourth consecutive month
Total housing starts surged to 115,392 units in November, up 4.2% from a year ago (see chart). Growth was
supported by gains in rental and built-for-sale houses. Wood-based units accounted for 43% of the total housing
starts, up from 41% in the previous month. Wood structured houses increased for the fourteenth consecutive
month compared with one year earlier. Seasonally
adjusted annual starts reached 1.36 million units, the seventh consecutive month over the 1.2 million level. In
Jan-Nov 2006, total housing starts were 4.2% above pace in 2005.
Demand forecast for imported timber in 2007
Several Japanese importers associations met recently to estimate Japan’s demand for imported timber in 2007. The
meeting concluded that 10.43 million m3 of logs and 8.19 million m3 of lumber would be imported in 2007. These
volumes would be up 0.8% and down 2%, respectively, from 2006. Housing starts are estimated to decrease
slightly to 1.27 million units in 2007.
Russian logs are expected to account for the lion share of
the imports (46%) while tropical logs would account for 13% (1.31 million m3, up 1.8% from 2007). About 1.19
million m3 of these logs are expected to be used for plywood production while the balance would be used for
lumber manufacturing. North American (41%) and European (35%) lumber would account for the largest
share of Japanese sawnwood imports in 2007. Imports of tropical lumber is estimated at 500,000 m3 (6% of total
lumber imports), down 3% from 2006.
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Abbreviations
| LM
Loyale Merchant, a grade of log parcel |
Cu.m
Cubic Metre |
| QS
Qualite Superieure |
Koku
0.278 Cu.m or 120BF |
| CI
Choix Industriel
|
FFR
French Franc |
| CE
Choix Economique
|
SQ
Sawmill Quality |
| CS
Choix Supplimentaire |
SSQ
Select Sawmill Quality |
| FOB
Free-on-Board |
FAS
Sawnwood Grade First and |
| KD
Kiln Dry |
Second |
| AD
Air Dry
|
WBP
Water and Boil Proof |
| Boule
A Log Sawn Through and Through |
MR
Moisture Resistant |
|
the boards from one log are bundled |
pc
per piece |
|
together |
ea
each |
| BB/CC
Plywood grades. Letter(s) on the left indicate
face veneer(s), those on the right backing veneer(s). Veneer grade
decreases in order B, BB, C, CC, etc. |
MBF
1000 Board Feet
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|
Plywood |
MDF
Medium Density Fibreboard |
| BF
Board Foot |
F.CFA CFA Franc
|
| Sq.Ft
Square Foot |
PHND
Pin hole no defect grade |
| Hoppus ton 1.8 cubic
metres |
 
Price has moved up or down |
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