JP Amended Clean Wood Act — Full Mandatory Due Diligence from April 2025
ENFORCEMENT TIMELINE
Fully effective April 1, 2025 (mandatory legality verification)
Overview
Under the 2023 amendment to the Act on Promotion of Distribution and Use of Legally-Harvested Wood and Wood Products (commonly known as the Clean Wood Act), from April 1, 2025, every business handling wood and wood-related products in Japan (a "wood-related business operator") is legally required to verify the legality of the timber it handles through due diligence. This is a fundamental strengthening of what was previously only a best-efforts obligation, aimed at blocking illegally logged timber from entering the Japanese market. The scope extends broadly beyond lumber and plywood to furniture, paper products, and wood-based biomass fuel such as palm kernel shell and wood pellets.
Enforcement Timeline
May 2016: The Clean Wood Act is enacted.
May 2017: The act takes effect, with legality verification treated as a best-efforts obligation for wood-related businesses.
April 2023: The amendment is enacted, making legality verification mandatory and revising the system for registered wood-related business operators.
April 1, 2025: The amended act takes full effect, making legality verification and record-keeping fully mandatory for wood-related business operators.
Business Impact
Import trading companies, building material manufacturers, furniture manufacturers, paper companies, and biomass power generators are legally required to collect and verify documentation proving that timber was harvested in compliance with the laws of the country of origin, such as logging permits, certificates of origin, and chain-of-custody certification, and to keep these records for a set period. Businesses that fail to verify legality risk guidance and advice, recommendations, public disclosure of the company's name, and even a business improvement order from the responsible minister. Because imported timber or biomass fuel whose legality cannot be verified can no longer be used, businesses may face rising procurement costs and the need to restructure their supply chains as they shift to certified timber, such as FSC or PEFC certified wood.