FORESTS OF JAPAN 



697 



Regardless of ownership the forests 

 of Japan arc divided into two classes, 

 Reserve Forests and Utilization Forests. 



The Reserve Forests include timbered 

 areas necessary for local demand, water- 

 shed protection, and the public welfare 

 in general, and are subject to restrictions 

 regarding cutting, in accordance with 

 the provisions of 

 the Forestry law. 

 At the present 

 time, the Reserve 

 Forests cover 

 about 2,200,000 

 acres. 



The Utilization 

 Forests consist of 

 the remainder of 

 the timberland, or 

 about 53,925,000 

 acres. This area 

 is subject to no 

 restriction what- 

 ever, and is man- 

 aged with the ob- 

 ject of producing 

 the greatest pos- 

 sible revenue for 

 all times to come. 



With the excep- 

 tion of the forests 

 belonging to the 

 Imperial House- 

 hold and those in 

 Hokkaido and 

 Formosa, the for- 

 ests of Japan are 

 under jurisdiction 

 of the Minister of 

 the Department 

 of Agriculture and 

 Commerce. 



The supervision 

 of the forests be- 

 longing to public 

 corporations, tem- 

 ples and private 

 individuals is vest- 

 ed in Governors, 

 Chief Magistrates, 

 Municipal Coun- 

 cils, and Chief 

 Officials of towns 

 and villages by au- 

 thority of the Min- 

 ister, and they are 

 responsible to him. 



The administration of the state forests 

 rests with the Minister of Agriculture 

 and Commerce, but the execution rests 

 with the Director of the Forestry 

 Bureau. 



The Forestry Bureau is located at 

 Tokyo and all applicants are subject to 

 a higher and lower Civil Service Exam- 



The Sacred Sugi Tree and House of Worship 



