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Russia
The World's Largest Forests Russia is included here not least because its forests are seen in Japan (and elsewhere) as an alternative to tropical timber (particularly as a source for plywood) - supplies of which are either reducing due to exhaustion or controversial. However, much of Russia's forest is of high conservation value. Further, the adverse impact of large-scale logging in Russia's permafrost region is likely to be high. In addition, Japan's paper industry (primarily companies which are now part of the Oji group) had a devastating impact on Sakhalin during Japan's notorious imperial adventures of the 20th century. [ref: "Sakhalin: A History" by JJ Stephan (1971)]. The chart below summarises Russia's trade with the rest of Asia and the world. Sustainable industrial logging in much of Russia's forest is unlikely to be viable - partly because that forest is of poor commercial quality. Chart 1 shows that Japan has been the leading destination for Eastern Russia's timber exports, both as logs (Eastern Russia's main timber export) and other timber products. It also shows that Japan's dominance has been eroded in recent years (primarily by China). Chart 2 shows that Russia has for decades been a leading supplier of Japan's timber imports. Chart 3 indicates that Japan has for several years imported a roundwood equivalent volume of roughly six million cubic metres annually. A number of Japan's major trading companies have been instrumental in setting up logging infrastructure to facilitate that trade. However, Japan has failed to protect its interests in the timber industry in Russia - poor governance has in recent years enabled China to become the dominant influence on that industry. Corruption and illegality (including the failure to permit - either properly or at all - the participation of local forest communities and civil society and fraud - including misclassification and undervaluation) in the timber industry is now rife in those regions which export timber to Japan - but very few cases have been brought to justice. An assessment of Russia's timber exports to Japan (published in 2002) indicated that none of Japan's main timber suppliers from Russia (a number of which are joint ventures with Japanese companies) were deemed to be satisfactory on the basis of social and environmental responsibility. Only one was considered likely to become so - Terneyles, which works with Sumitomo Corporation - but this prospect is likely to be in jeopardy given that Terneyles, probably illegally, has aquired permission to log c300,000ha of roadless forest in the Samarga basin. A check-list has been prepared for those who wish properly to procure timber from sustainably managed forests in Russia, as has a discussion of certain aspects of illegal logging. Large volumes of Russian timber are understood to be processed in China and then exported to Japan. Much of this is probably illegal given that China's imports from Russia are likely to include a high proportion (80% in some regions) of illegal timber.[ref: P Vander Gert and J Newell in International Forestry Review (September 2003)]
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