TOKYO: Plywood suppliers in three countries, China, Malaysia and Indonesia account for almost all Japan’s plywood imports. The volume of plywood imports in October 2015 were up 7% year-on-year and October marked the third straight rise in imports from Malaysia and Indonesia, ITTO reported.
China ships plywood to Japan but the volumes are small, around a quarter of that shipped by either Malaysia or Indonesia.
Year-on-year October plywood imports from China were down 26% while, in contrast, shipments from Malaysia to Japan rose by almost the same amount (22%). Japan’s plywood imports from Indonseia have been rather erratic since mid year but have increased since August this year.