Japan Group Launches Online Timber Market

Tokyo, May 9 (Jiji Press)--A Japanese group of forestry organizations launched an online timber marketplace in February to match forest owners with buyers nationwide.

About 30 businesses, mainly buyers, had registered on the platform by the end of April, with timber listings and transactions expected to increase soon.

Standing timber is typically traded through negotiations. In such deals, individuals who own forests and small forestry cooperatives often have to sell at depressed prices presented by lumbering companies with large financing power and rich transaction experiences.

The new platform was set up by the Tokyo-based group for promoting the use of domestic timber and protecting forests. It makes it easier for both sellers and buyers to find transaction partners from around Japan.

The group aims to make the platform "an online flea market site for timber," an official said.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]