Japan by the Japanese/Chapter 18.5

The forests of Japan cover 59 per cent. of the territory of the empire, and have been under the direct protection of the Imperial Government since the ninth century, when the Emperor of the day issued a proclamation restricting the undue felling of trees, and ordering, in a general way, the protection of all wooded land. From earliest times, the love of sylvan growth has had a marked effect upon the lives and characters of the people, and it is often claimed that the burning patriotism of the Japanese has and does owe much to the profoundly sympathetic influence exercised upon them by the beauty of their surroundings.

​The forests had, while the country remained secluded, maintained their primitive character, but the same influences which led to the expansion of Japanese commercial and political life also had their effect upon the extent and modes of forest utilization.

Besides a considerable increase in the home demand for timber and fuel in connection with industrial and mining enterprises, for telephone and telegraph poles, railway sleepers, various articles of manufactured wood-work, wood-pulp for paper-making, etc., the recent development in transportation facilities has awakened traders in forest products to the possibilities of profit from customers abroad, with the result that there is already a growing trade with China and Corea, as well as the beginning of a demand from the Western world.

The first result of these influences was an unequal and reckless felling of trees in unprotected areas, certain sections being quite denuded, while in Central Japan there still exist vast areas of woodland whose primitive features remain unaltered.

Owing to the fact that the empire of Japan consists of six larger and hundreds of smaller islands, all of volcanic origin, there exist within its borders extensive areas of steeply-mountainous territory, which is without practical value save for its forests and mines, and the Government is fully alive to the fact that, by scientific cultivation, these districts may remain a source of permanent income, especially in view of the fact that, in spite of the reckless waste alluded to, there still remain more than 56,000,000 acres of practically virgin forest. Of this vast area there are two general divisions, the ‘Utilization Forests’ and the ‘Protection Forests.’ The ‘Protection’ section is divided into two classes, ‘Absolute’ and ‘Ordinary.’ The ‘Absolute’ class is small, consisting of scarcely more than 12,000 acres, which is maintained intact, the felling of trees being positively forbidden. The ‘Ordinary,’ comprising some 1,667,421 acres, is only slightly less strenuously preserved. These two divisions of the ‘Protection’ areas of woodland are maintained in such districts and of such extent as may be deemed necessary and expedient for the preservation of the soil and the general welfare of the country.

All other forests in the country belong to the ‘Utilization’ division, and are left to the control of their owners, who may be private individuals, communes, the Imperial household, the State, or the Shinto and Buddhist temples. The properties thus held by the Imperial household and by the State are managed and cultivated in accordance with modern technical rules, and already give promise of greatly improved ​productiveness. That owned by private individuals, temples, etc., is still left largely to Nature, very little having been done to increase its utility. State and Crown together, however, own about 54,000,000 acres, while not more than one-half that amount remains in miscellaneous ownership. Of this last, about one-fifth is held by different communes, which, with the general spread of public cohesion, is much the same from an economic point of view as though it were under direct Imperial supervision.

These figures do not include Formosa, of which the Government has not yet made complete surveys, and, indeed, the matter of forest territory in Japan itself, as here given, should be accepted only as a general guide, the more absolute surveys not yet being complete.

Changes of ownership have been many in modern times, but going back to feudal days, the task of tracing titles is comparatively simple, the country at that time having been divided into 264 estates among as many lords, who had absolute power over the land. Taxes and forced contributions were paid in kind, and as the products of the forest were an especial ambition of the lords, means were always adopted for increasing the supply of trees. Thus, stringent orders were enforced for the encouragement of planting and for the interdiction of reckless felling of trees, while much was done for the general protection of forests. Change and the extension of ownership brought about a condition almost of anarchy in this matter, which, added to forest fires and wholesale robberies, badly crippled small sections of many districts. Increase of population also had the effect of reducing the wooded areas, as many as 3,700,000 acres having been cleared for occupation during the first twenty years of the Restoration. Since then, however, measures have been taken to plant new forests in accordance with Government plans, so that during the years between 1891 and 1901, although 1,061,000 acres were thrown open to cultivation, 1,400,000 acres were replanted in districts unsuited to farming, thus making a net gain of 339,000 acres to the forest area, without in any way adversely affecting agriculture.

Climatic conditions being so diverse in different sections, owing to the extreme length of the country from north to south, the variety of forest growth is almost incredible, and it is estimated that no less than 800 species and varieties of forest trees are well suited for culture in Japan, covering the indigenous growths of tropical, subtropical, temperate, and arctic climes.

Of the tropical growth, the banyan heads the list, followed by several species of the palm and bamboo, the latter being ​the most valuable, growing with wonderful rapidity, and being available for building purposes and for the manufacture of household articles.

The subtropical growth has been divided into three classes, the broad-leaved evergreen, broad-leaved deciduous, and pine. The species of chief importance among the broad-leaved evergreen is the camphor-tree, which is sometimes found forming extensive forests, growing where the soil is clayey and fertile, and thriving especially well where sheltered from the north winds. The wood is hard and lustrous, and of a peculiar odour. It is valued for many purposes as timber as well as for camphor, and replanting, public and private, is the rule. The pine family is best represented by the red and black pine of commerce.

In the temperate climate are included over sixty species, the more important being of the broad-leaved class, including the fir (Chamæcyparis obtusa), which ranks first among trees in Japan in regard to the number of uses to which it is put.

Growth in the frigid zone is stunted, the principal wood being obtained from the Abies sachaliensis and the Picea ajansis, which grow luxuriantly in places, and are largely used architecturally and for earthworks. The fibre is coarse.