３０年後に花粉発生量半減　伐採・植え替え加速―林業白書

　政府は４日、２０２３年度の森林・林業白書を閣議決定した。花粉症を初めて特集し、原因であるスギの人工林の伐採や花粉の少ない苗木への植え替えを加速させると明記。花粉の発生源となるスギ人工林の面積を１０年後に２割程度減らし、３０年後に花粉の発生量を半減させる目標を打ち出した。
　白書では戦後に造られた人工林が利用期を迎えているとし、木材需要の拡大などに「消費者を含めた社会全体で取り組む必要がある」と訴えた。（2024/06/04-08:36）

The Japanese government said in an annual report on Tuesday that it aims to halve the amount of cedar pollen in the country in 30 years by reducing the area of artificial cedar forests by about 20 pct over the next 10 years.
   The white paper on forests and forestry, adopted at a cabinet meeting on the day, includes a special section on hay fever for the first time.
   In the report, the government vowed to accelerate the cutting down of artificial cedar forests and the replacement of them with plants that emit less pollen.
   Noting that artificial forests created after the end of World War II to conserve land and meet growing demand for timber are reaching a stage where the trees can be felled and used, the report pointed out that it is necessary for the entire society, including consumers, to work to reinvigorate timber demand.
   In the country, the total area of artificial forests doubled from about 5 million hectares in 1949 to about 10 million hectares today. Cedar forests account for about 40 pct of the total area.