When we try to imagine a vast frontier forest, we often think of rainforests.? However, there is another vast, intact forest right next door to Japan – the Taiga in Far East Russia.? With its geographical proximity to Japan, the Taiga has a long-standing, strong relationship with Japan.? The rich biodiversity of the Sea of Okhotsk, off the coast of Hokkaido, is created by nutrients carried by the Bikin River which runs through the Taiga.? Japan had also been the biggest consumer of timber resources from the Taiga for a long time.

This great forested area, which is rich both in biodiversity and culture, is now facing the threat of extinction.? And this is happening right next door to us.

Even though Japan is no longer the biggest importing country of timber from the Taiga, it still is consuming a significant amount, through the import of timber via China.? Therefore, all of us in East Asian countries, including Japan, are responsible for the protection of the Taiga.