CINTRAFOR Projects on International Trade

Ivan Eastin, DirectorCenter for International Trade in Forest Products

Tama River in Musashi Province Artwork by: Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849): Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji

Presented to Washington StateHouse Committee on Agriculture and Natural

Resources2/14/2014

Center for International Trade in Forest Products

Center for International Trade in Forest Products

Established and partially funded by the State of Washington, CINTRAFOR is a nationally and internationally recognized Center of Excellence and the only international forest products trade Center in the US. The State of Washington, recognizing the important contribution that the forestry and forest products sectors make to the economy of the state, particularly in rural, timber dependent communities, adopted legislation in 1984 establishing the Center for International Trade in Forest Products within the College of Forest Resources at the University of Washington. CINTRAFOR’s legislative charter is located in RCW Title 76, Chapter 76.56:

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=76.56

Center for International Trade in Forest Products

Wood Exports to Japan

Fuji View Field in Owari Province

Center for International Trade in Forest Products

US and WA Total Wood Exports

• WA supplies 21.5% of US total wood exports and OR is 2nd at 7.4%• Japan is the 3rd largest importer of US wood products (+16.8% in 2013)

• 83% of US wood exports to Japan are from the PNW and

• 67.2% of US wood exports to Japan are from WA (+30.3%)

So…the Japanese market (and any subsidy that disadvantages US wood products) is a big deal to the US, and more importantly, the state of Washington

Center for International Trade in Forest Products

The Great Wave off Kanagawa

Japan Domestic Wood Subsidy

Project

Center for International Trade in Forest Products

Wood Use Points Program• In July, 2013 the Forestry Agency implemented the

Wood Use Point Program that awards up to ¥600,000 ($6,000) for new houses where 50% of the wood is “local wood”.

• With a total budget of ¥41 billion (US$432 million), WUPP program could subsidize almost 138,000 wood houses (28% of wooden houses built annually) and displace approximately 1,835,000 m3 of imported lumber.

Would displace $36,084,000 in US exports of DF logs and lumber

Center for International Trade in Forest Products

Wood Use Points Program

BUT…To avoid violating WTO rules, the MAFF made provision for foreign wood to be designated as “local wood” within the Wood Use Point Program.

Criteria for designating foreign timber species “local wood”  

(1) The timber species must be harvested legally.

(2) The forest inventory of the timber species must be increasing. 

 (3) The timber species has “clear and substantial synergistic effects” on the local economy of farm, mountain and fishing villages in Japan.

Center for International Trade in Forest Products

CINTRAFOR Led a Collaborative Effort* to Have DF Specified as “local wood”. WHY DF?

Douglas-fir represents over 90% of the softwood logs and lumber exported to Japan from the US

 US Exports to Japan Logs Lumber

Total $482,808,304 $240,356,989

Softwood $456,565,486 $178,695,882

Douglas-fir $432,446,709 $162,508,090

DF Ratio 94.7% 90.9%

* CINTRAFOR, Softwood Export Council, USDA and the US Embassy, Tokyo

** Program briefing USTR in Washington DC on March 18th

US DF officially recognized as a “local wood” in Japan in December 2013

(US was the only country to gain approval)

Center for International Trade in Forest Products

January 2, 2014 PRESS RELEASEUS Douglas-fir: First case to be newly designated as a “local wood species” under the Wood Use Points Program in Japan

Japan: US Douglas Fir First Case to be Newly Designated as a “Local Wood Species” Under the Wood Use Points Program

PRESS RELEASE December 25, 2013 American Softwoods Japan OfficeUS Douglas-fir: First case to be newly designated as a “local wood” species under the Wood Use Points Program

Center for International Trade in Forest Products

Research Summary

Mishima Pass in Kai Province

Tribal Wood ExportProject

Center for International Trade in Forest Products

Tribal Trade Mission to JapanObjective: Help Native American Tribes explore opportunity to export lumber to Japan for use in the wooden post and beam construction.Trade Mission: Representatives from three Northwest Tribes (Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs; Yakama Nation and Quinault Indian Nation) visited Japan in October 2013 to visit manufacturers of precut components for P&B housing, P&B construction sites and the Japan Home Show.Outcome: Finalized sales contracts for $2.3 million in lumber sales to Japan.

Center for International Trade in Forest Products

Center for International Trade in Forest Products

Center for International Trade in Forest Products

Center for International Trade in Forest Products

ありがとうございましたThank you

Inume Pass, Koshu

Funding Leverage for Tribal Project

$13.04 to $1…so far!