The influence of the difference in the diversification degree of paper companies on the development of the companies themselves, forestry, and wood industry

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25380455
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Economic history
• Research Institution: Forest Research and Management Organization
• Principal Investigator: SHIMSAE Takuya 国立研究開発法人森林研究・整備機構, 森林総合研究所, 主任研究員 等 (80353720)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 比較産業史 / 複合林産企業 / 製紙業（紙パルプ産業） / 林業 / 木材産業 / クラフトパルプ（KP）法 / 木材チップ / 中小企業性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A comparative study of the history of Japan-U.S. paper industry was conducted to clarify why Japan did not have any “integrated forest products companies,” which are popular in other countries. U.S. paper companies searched for forest land at the same time to put wood pulp to practical use. In contrast, Japanese companies have strongly depended on national forests. Although they began to acquire forest land energetically in the outlying areas during the pre-war Showa era, they lost a greater part of it because of the defeat in World War II. After the war, Japanese paper companies adopted kraft pulping and also switched raw materials to wood chips from round wood to adapt themselves to the circumstances of mainland. These changes diluted the relationship between paper industry, forestry, and wood industry. This obstructed the formation of “integrated forest products companies.” In this manner, wood industry became the one comprising numerous small- and medium-sized enterprises.

Free Research Field

林業経済学