Current Status of and Problems with the Forest Inheritance Tax in Japan

Koji Matsushita

A chapter in Taxes and Taxation Trends from IntechOpen

Abstract: The number of aged forest owners is increasing as Japanese society ages and the number of inheritances involving forest is increasing. The current forest inheritance policies, including the inheritance tax, were introduced after World War II and the entire inheritance system urgently needs improving. Although tax-reduction policies have decreased the forest inheritance tax, private forest owners are facing a greatly decreased domestic timber market and low stumpage prices. The number of non-resident and non-farmer forest owners is increasing, and the traditional farm family-based forestry system is facing a crisis. As the population of Japan decreases, especially in rural areas, the forest inheritance tax must be reconsidered so that non-resident and non-farmer forest owners who have little knowledge of forest management will sell their forests to new owners who are interested in forest management, such as current resident forest owners and forestry companies. Although the 2014 measure that postpones payment of the forest inheritance tax is an important way to support sustainable forest management, especially by large-scale forest owners, the targeted individuals who obtain the advantage must be reconsidered.

Keywords: family-based forestry; small-scale forestry; non-resident forest owners; non-farmer forest owner; aged forest owner; depopulation; tax reduction; postponement of tax payment; stumpage price; Glaser formula; forest management plan (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: F63 O10 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ito:pchaps:119081

DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.74379

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