TOKYO -- Hay fever season is at its height across much of Japan, caused by the dispersion of pollen from Japanese cedar trees. The previous administration of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced measures to tackle the problem, which has been recognized as a social issue. The Mainichi Shimbun looked into progress on logging plantations of the trees.

Question: What's happening with the national government's measures against hay fever?

Answer: It's believed that one in three people in Japan suffers from hay fever due to Japanese cedar pollen. In the light of the massive economic damage this causes, the government in May 2023 announced a goal of halving the amount of dispersed pollen in 30 years. Around 40% of the forests across the country are artificially planted, and roughly 40% of the trees in these artificial forests are Japanese cedars. The government has raised the amount logged per year from 50,000 hectares to 70,000 hectares, aiming to reduce the area of these forests by some 20% compared to fiscal 2020 by fiscal 2033 as an interim goal.

Q: Is the logging going as planned?

A: It's slow going, but there are signs things are starting to change. "Priority areas" where logging and replanting will be intensively promoted have been set up over approximately 980,000 hectares (as of February 2024) across the country, mainly around urban areas with large populations. Actual logging operations will be carried out by groups such as local forestry cooperatives. The government has spent roughly 12 billion yen (approx. $80 million) over the past two years on support such as the construction of access roads in the priority areas and subsidies for the cost of removing timber.

Q: What will happen after the logging?

A: Because leaving the cleared areas as-is would increase risks of natural disasters such as landslides and reduce the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed from the atmosphere, the government is increasing production of Japanese cedar varieties that release much less or no pollen and replanting areas with these seedlings. However, trees that produce large amounts of pollen even after replanting have been identified, and work remains to improve the quality of the seedlings.

Q: Is the amount of pollen going to decline as hoped?

A: The path ahead is not easy. While the amount of the trees logged will rise, labor shortages persist, and the potential for a greater market demand for Japanese cedar lumber is not clear. The national government's objectives are burdened by the challenges facing the domestic forest industry.

(Japanese original by Yosuke Tsuyuki, Lifestyle, Science & Environment News Department)