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Japan Grademarked Lumber Agreement (1997)

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES

TRADE REPRESENTATIVE

Executive Office of the President

Washington, D.C.

20508

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, January 13, 1997

97-01

Contact: Jay Ziegler

Kirsten Powers

Christine Wilkas

(202) 395-3230

Japan Recognizes U.S.-Grademarked Lumber

By recognizing U.S.-grademarked lumber for importation into Japan, Japan's Ministry of Construction took an important step toward further opening that country's housing market to U.S. construction techniques and materials, and toward lowering Japan's exorbitant housing costs. "We are pleased that Japan has promptly implemented its commitment to permit importation of U.S. grademarked lumber," said U.S. Trade Representative-Designate, Ambassador Charlene Barshefsky. "Our dialogue on wood products market access issues with Japan has resulted in meaningful progress over the last year, and we look forward to additional progress in the course of this year. USTR has worked closely with U.S. wood products industry and with the support of the Department of Agriculture to achieve improved market access in Japan. These efforts are paying off. "

Japan's commitment is consistent with its March 1996 Emergency Program for Reducing Housing Construction Cost, as well as with the 1990 bilateral agreement concerning market access for wood products which calls for progressive liberalization. As part of the Emergency Program, Japan is reviewing a host of regulations which act as barriers to imported building materials. Important further steps to implement housing deregulation measures are expected this spring that move Japan's building standards toward performance based criteria. Resolution of a host of issues raised by U.S. producers was achieved over the last year through the U.S.-Japan Sub-Committee on Wood Products, co-chaired by USTR and Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, established under the 1990 bilateral agreement.

Japan's recognition of visually graded U.S. lumber will enable more than 1,000 mills to ship lumber to Japan. Japan is already the largest U.S. export market for wood products, with softwood lumber exports of $619 million in 1995. Until now, only 80 U.S. mills specifically certified for use of the Japanese Agricultural Standard grademark could ship their product to Japan. American-style 2x4 construction technique now accounts for only 12 percent of Japanese wood housing construction, but its proven safety record and affordability are making it increasingly popular.

Translation of the ALSC [American Lumber Standards Committee] recognition certificate.

Certificate

Under the Ministry of Construction Notification 56, Provision 4 -- Item 1, I hereby recognize that the type of lumber listed below possesses satisfactory performance for structural safety required for the use as principal parts necessary for structural strength in wood frame construction.

January 6, 1997

Minister of Construction

Shizuka Kamei [signed]

Note

Recognized lumber should belong to one of the species listed in Table 1, and the grades and grading rules indicated in that table should conform to the types of application indicated in Table 2, which are certified to the applicable grades by the grading agencies indicated.

Rules Graded Under Species Grading Agencies

Under NELMA 1995 Rules Balsam Fir NELMA

Black Spruce RRA

Red Spruce SPIB

White Spruce TP

Balsam Fir MLB

Black Spruce

Jack Pine

Norway (Red) Pine

Red Spruce

White Spruce

Red Pine

Under NSLB 1993 Rules Balsam Fir NELMA

Black Spruce NSLB

Red Spruce RRA

White Spruce SPIB

Balsam Fir TP

Black Spruce

Jack Pine

Norway (Red) Pine

Red Spruce

White Spruce

Red Pine

Under WCLIB 1993 Rules Douglas Fir CLIS

Western Larch NELMA

CA Red Fir NSLB

Grand Fir PLIB

Noble Fir RIS

Pacific Silver Fir RRA

Western Hemlock SPIB

White Fir TP

Engleman Spruce WCLIB

Lodgepole Pine WWPA

Sitkas Spruce

Alaska Pine

Incense Ceder

Port Orford Ceder

Western Red Ceder

Under WWPA 1995 Rules Douglas Fir CLIB

Western Larch NELMA

CA Red Ceder NSLB

Grand Fir PLIB

Noble Fir RIS

Pacific Silver Fir RRA

Western Hemlock SPIB

White Fir TP

Engleman Spruce WCLIB

Lodgepole Pine WWPA

Sitkas Spruce

Alaska Pine

Incense Ceder

Port Orford Ceder

Western Red Ceder

Under RIS 1995 Rules Redwood CLIB

PLIB

RIS

Under SPIB 1994 Rules Southern Pine CLIB

NELMA

RRA

SPIB

TP

WCLIB

WWPA

California Lumber Inspection Service

5905 Soquel Drive, Suite 150

Soquel, California 95073

United States of America

Jeffrey Tablak

Northeast Lumber Manufacturers' Association

272 Tuttle Road, P.O. Box 87A

Cumberland Center, Maine 04021

United States of America

Stephen S. Clark

Northern Softwood Lumber Bureau

272 Tuttle Road, P.O. Box 87A

Cumberland Center, Maine 04021

United States of America

Stephen S. Clark

Pacific Lumber Inspection Bureau

P.O. Box 7235

Bellevue, Washington 98008-1235

United States of America

George A. Thompson

Redwood Inspection Service

405 Enfrente Drive, Suite 200

Noveto, California 94949

United States of America

Christopher Grover

Renewable Resource Association

3091 Chaparral Place

Lithonia, Georgia, 30038

United States of America

Lon J. Sibert

Southern Pine Inspection Bureau

4709 Scenic Highway

Pensacola, Florida 32504

United States of America

Tom S. Jones

Timber Products Inspection

P.O. Box 919

Conyers, Georgia 30207

United States of America

Ronald Williams

West Coast Lumber Inspection Bureau

Box 23145

Portland, Oregon 97281

United States of America

Bradley E. Shelley

Western Wood Products Association

Yeon Building, 522 Fifth Avenue

Portland, Oregon 97204-2122

United States of America

Robert H. Hunt

Maritime Lumber Bureau

P.O. Box 459

Amherst, Nova Scotia, B4H 4A1

Canada

Diana Blenkhorn