木材自給率、４８年ぶり４割超　コロナも影響―林業白書

　政府は３１日、２０２１年度森林・林業白書を閣議決定した。白書では、わが国の２０年の木材自給率が前年比４．０ポイント上昇の４１．８％になったと紹介。４割を超えたのは１９７２年以来４８年ぶりという。近年、国産材の供給量が増加傾向にあるほか、新型コロナウイルスの影響で住宅着工が減ったことも要因と分析している。
　２０年の木材の総需要量は７４４４万立方メートルで、うち国産材供給量は３１１５万立方メートルだった。（2022/05/31-08:43）

Japan's self-sufficiency rate for lumber in 2020 rose 4.0 percentage points from the previous year to 41.8 pct, topping 40 pct for the first time in 48 years, the Japanese government said Tuesday.
   The growth reflected a rise in supplies of domestically produced lumber in recent years and a fall in housing starts due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, the government said in its fiscal 2021 report on forest and forestry in Japan, which was adopted at a cabinet meeting.
   Overall demand for lumber in 2020 totaled 74.44 million cubic meters, while domestic lumber supplies came to 31.15 million cubic meters.
   The country's self-sufficiency rate for lumber fell to 18.8 pct in 2002 due to domestic lumber supply shortages and a rise in lumber imports.
   In recent years, supplies of domestic lumber have been on the rise, as planted forests are coming into use, and demand for wood chips is growing for use in biomass power generation.