Mitsubishi & Co., Ltd. ("Mitsubishi", Head Office: Tokyo, President and CEO: Tatsuo Yasunaga) has supplied cedar timber from its company-owned forests, "Mitsubishi's forests", for use in the construction of the New National Stadium. The timber will be used to build a giant roof to cover spectators in the stands. It will also be used in the eaves around the exterior of the stadium.

Mitsubishi owns 74 forests in Japan with a total area of approximately 44,000 hectares and aims to contribute to both the forestry industry and to environmental conservation. Forests produce timber, which is a reusable natural resource, and also fulfill a range of socially beneficial functions, such as absorbing and controlling carbon dioxide, acting as a water reservoir, preventing natural disasters by their water retention capacity, and preserving biodiversity. Sustainable forest management is essential to the maintenance of these forest functions. Mitsubishi works to ensure that Mitsubishi's forests provide all of these socially beneficial functions through appropriately managing various types of forests, including Forests for Regeneration and Harvest, and Natural Forests (Naturally Regenerated Forests (*1)). As part of this process, it harvests a wide variety of timber for sale as logs to meet the demand for timber for different purposes. No timber is wasted, since any material that is unsuitable for use as sawn lumber or pulp is utilized, for example, by processing it into woodchip fuel for use in biomass power generation (*2). Through these activities, Mitsubishi is contributing to the stable supply of Japanese-produced timber, while also helping to revitalize regional economies.

Mitsubishi has obtained certifications for all of Mitsubishi's forests throughout Japan under two international standards: the FSC® certification (license number: C057355) and the SGEC certification (certification number: SGEC/31-21-1101) (*3). These certifications are done by third party institutions that ascertain whether the forest management method of a forest operator meets economic, environmental and social criteria. The spread of such certification prevents unregulated deforestation, preserves healthy forests, and helps protect the global environment. Currently Mitsubishi's forests are the only privately owned forests in Japan with an area of over 10,000 hectares that are certified under these two certifications. This enables Mitsubishi to meet the demand for a variety of certified timber. For the New National Stadium project, Mitsubishi supplied SGEC-certified cedar from some of Mitsubishi's forests throughout Japan through Mitsubishi Bussan Forest Co., Ltd. (*4) The procurement standards for this project call for timber to be both legal and sustainable. Certified timber from Mitsubishi's forests meets these requirements.

Mitsubishi will continue contributing to the development of a sustainable, recycling-based society through the diversified use of Mitsubishi's forests.

Some scenes of thinning trees for this project

Japanese cedar in Mitsubishi's forest

Felling a tree

Thinning operation

Hauling away logs

*1 Naturally Regenerated Forests: These are forests that have formed without planting. After logging or other human activities, these natural forests regenerate mainly through natural action. Mitsubishi tends these forests to enhance the social value that they provide.
*2 Wood biomass power generation: Mitsubishi has invested in a wood biomass power generation project in Tomakomai City, Hokkaido. Commercial operations at the facility commenced in April 2017. Mitsubishi supplies some of the wood used as fuel from Mitsubishi's forests.

*3 FSC and SGEC certifications: Both organizations provide forest management (FM) certification and chain of custody (CoC, control of processing and distribution) certification. FM certification is obtained by Mitsubishi, and CoC certification by Mitsubishi Bussan Forest Co., Ltd.

*4 Mitsubishi Bussan Forest Co., Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mitsubishi. It conducts forestry management for Mitsubishi's forests, and produces and sells timber raw materials.