Main Contents
— Promoting the Conservation of Rare Wetlands and Sustainable Regional Development —
Mitsui & Co., Ltd. ("Mitsui", Head Office: Tokyo, President and CEO: Kenichi Hori) concluded a partnership agreement on June 13, 2026 with Minamiaizu Town, Fukushima Prefecture (Mayor: Masayoshi Watanabe) and the Kanto Regional Environment Office*1 of the Ministry of the Environment, Japan (Director-General: Masanori Shoji) regarding the conservation and use of Tashiroyama, one of Mitsui's company-owned forests known as "Mitsui's Forests," located in the town. The agreement aims to enhance the appeal of Tashiroyama and promote its sustainable use through mutual cooperation under a public-private partnership.
Background
Minamiaizu Town is endowed with abundant natural resources, with forests covering more than 81,000 hectares, or approximately 92% of its total area. Tashiroyama, located in Oze National Park, is a valuable natural asset featuring a globally rare plateau-shaped summit wetland, and has long been enjoyed by hikers from both within and outside Fukushima Prefecture. Minamiaizu Town has been working to conserve this rich and valuable natural environment for future generations while promoting sustainable regional development and increasing the number of visitors and people engaging with the area by utilizing its natural value.
Mitsui manages approximately 999 hectares of forest, including the summit wetland, in Tashiro Forest, one of the "Mitsui's Forests" that the company owns at 76 locations across Japan. Under its commitment to "lead the enhancement of the value of Japan's forests and contribute to the creation of a sustainable future," Mitsui has obtained FSC® certification*2 and SGEC certification for all of its company-owned forests, and is promoting advanced forest management together with Mitsui Bussan Forest Co., Ltd. Through cooperation with local stakeholders, Mitsui aims to protect and nurture the multiple functions and value of forests, and to realize a virtuous cycle of sustainable forest management by reinvesting the value created back into forest management.
When the Ministry of the Environment, Japan separated Oze National Park from Nikko National Park and established it as an independent national park in 2007, the Tashiroyama area was incorporated into Oze National Park. The Ministry also designated the high moor at the summit of Tashiroyama, a globally rare sloping wetland formed on a single plateau, as a Special Protection Zone, and has been working to conserve it. The Ministry has also improved the visitor environment, including by developing restroom facilities at the summit of Tashiroyama. In addition, the Ministry, together with Fukushima Prefecture, formulated the Fukushima Green Reconstruction Concept and has promoted initiatives to expand the number of visitors and people engaging with the region while balancing natural environment conservation with appropriate use by enhancing the appeal of Fukushima Prefecture's representative national and quasi-national parks. In March this year, the Fukushima Green Reconstruction Concept (Phase 2) was formulated to further strengthen these initiatives. Under this concept, efforts are underway to create a virtuous cycle of natural environment conservation and regional revitalization through public-private partnerships, in addition to realizing nature-positive outcomes and improving visitors' opportunities to stay in the area and their overall satisfaction.
Through this agreement, Mitsui, Minamiaizu Town, and the Kanto Regional Environment Office of the Ministry of the Environment, Japan will utilize their respective knowledge and strengths to promote the following areas of cooperation, and will work together on the sustainable conservation and use of Tashiroyama in Oze National Park through a public-private partnership.
Areas of Cooperation
(1) Conservation of the natural environment of Tashiroyama
(2) Sustainable use of Tashiroyama
(3) Provision by Mitsui to Minamiaizu Town of materials, labor and other support related to the development and maintenance of boardwalks
(4) Effective utilization of forest resources and sustainable forest management
(5) Matters incidental or related to the preceding items and necessary to achieve the objectives of the agreement
*1 The Kanto Regional Environment Office of the Ministry of the Environment, Japan was renamed the Kanto Environment Bureau of the Ministry of the Environment, Japan on July 1, 2026.
*2 Mitsui FSC® FM certification license number: FSC®-C057355
Mitsui SGEC FM certification license number: SGEC/31-21-1101
Mitsui Bussan Forest FSC® CoC certification license number: FSC®-C031328
Mitsui Bussan Forest SGEC CoC certification license number: SGEC/31-32-1106
From left: Ms. Onda, General Manager, Mitsui & Co., Ltd.; Mr. Watanabe, Mayor of Minamiaizu Town; and Mr. Shoji, Director-General of the Kanto Regional Environment Office
