JCP chair attends forestry cooperative general meeting for the first time

Japan Press Weekly

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JCP chair attends forestry cooperative general meeting for the first time

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo for the first time attended the general meeting of the National Federation of Forest Owners’ Cooperative Associations (Zenmoriren) held on November 25 in Tokyo.

The Zenmoriren had traditionally invited guest lawmakers mainly from the Liberal Democratic Party. But in this 26th general meeting, leaders of the JCP and the Your Party as well as other political parties’ lawmakers were invited to take part.

Shii in his speech pointed out that forestry is one industry that has the large potential to contribute to creating a low carbon society. Citing the fact that in Germany, whose forested area is 40 percent of that of Japan, forestry creates 1.3 million jobs exceeding the level of employment in the car industry, Shii said, “It is government’s responsibility to put to productive use forestry’s beautiful latent ability by working together with various sectors of society.”

Concerning the fact that the Hatoyama government aims to reduce the budget for keeping forests in good condition, participants gave a big round of applause to Shii, saying, “The JCP will urge the government to reconsider budget allocations.”

At the assembly, about 1,000 delegates, including cooperative association heads, associations staff, and forest owners, adopted a resolution calling on members “to band together to revitalize woodlands, forestry, and mountain villages which are needed to protect and enhance the environment and support people’s livelihoods” because at present the forest industry and mountain villages in Japan are on the verge of collapse.

The assembly also approved the forest owners’ cooperatives’ principles stating, “By contributing to prevention of global warming and providing protection and preservation of water sources, land security, healthy forest environment as well as provided quality sustainably harvested timber, we will sustain people’s health, safety, and provide a good housing environment.”

Forestry leader praises Shii speech

Head of a Forestry Cooperative in Hokkaido Hayashi Masahiro, who is the president of the National Federation of Forest Owners’ Cooperative Associations (Zenmoriren), praised JCP Chair Shii Kazuo’s speech on November 25 at the Zenmoriren general meeting by saying, “I found that he showed a good understanding of the importance of the forestry industry, stressing the importance of our industry from both environmental and employment aspects.”

Hayashi made this remark on November 27 at a meeting with representatives of the Hokkaido Prefectural Committee of the Japanese Communist Party.

Stating that the industry is potentially capable of revitalizing local economies, JCP Kawamura Yukie, a Hokkaido local city assembly member, said, “We will further study how to develop and promote the industry.”

- Akahata, November26 & 29, 2009