Over 100 Attendees Join 'Forest Action Forum 2026': Event Report Released on Implementing New Corporate-Forest Relationships

Somanobase Co., Ltd. hosted the "Forest Action Forum 2026" in Otemachi, Tokyo, on Monday, March 23, 2026.

Amid growing interest in decarbonization and Nature Positive initiatives, corporate involvement in forests is shifting toward exploring what lies "beyond planting trees." Planned alongside 11 partner companies, this forum served as a practical platform to transform forestry initiatives from "CSR focused merely on protection" into "CSV (Creating Shared Value) that generates business value."

Under the vision "Corporate power can make forests more interesting," over 100 participants gathered for the event. The half-day program went beyond simple knowledge input, encouraging attendees to consider how to leverage their own resources in forests and connect these ideas to their next actionable steps.

■ Event Overview
- Event Name: Forest Action Forum 2026
- Date: Monday, March 23, 2026, 13:30-17:00
- Venue: 3x3Lab Future (Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo)
- Attendees: Over 100
- Organizer: Somanobase Co., Ltd.
- Collaborators: 11 partner companies and organizations

■ Event Report: Updating Corporate-Forest Relationships in 3 Steps
The forum presented concrete ways for corporations to engage with forests through three steps: Learn, Know, and Connect.

STEP 1: [Learn] Keynote Session - Reassessing the Current State of Japan's Forests and Corporate Potential from a Business Perspective
Through two lectures—"The Potential of Japan's Forests and Expectations for Corporations" by Asako Nagano (CEO of Moriage) and "On the Relationship Between Forests and Corporations" by Kika Okugawa (CEO of Somanobase)—the session shared insights into Japan's forestry status and its potential as a "business opportunity" rather than mere social contribution.

STEP 2: [Know] Pitch Session - The Forefront of Cross-Industry Co-Creation
Speakers from four cross-industry companies—representing urban development, railways, architecture, and IT—shared their visions and frontline initiatives in forest utilization:
- [City x Forest] "Activities of a Forestry Company Aiming for the Coexistence of Forests and Cities" (Naoki Yoshida, Tokyo Chainsaws)
- [Railway x Forest] "Town Development Where Wood and People Circulate: Contributing to Forest Resource Circulation" (Kensuke Yokota, Tokyu Railways)
- [Architecture x Forest] "Experiments in Urban Timber Architecture: Connecting Cities and Forests" (Takaya Shibuya / Rie Inaoka, Sankei Building)
- [IT x Forest] "Turning Urban Dwellers into Forest Guardians" (Yoshinobu Kira, LINE Yahoo)

STEP 3: [Connect] Booth Exhibitions, Co-Creation Workshops, and Networking
In addition to solution exhibitions by six companies supporting forest utilization, participants engaged in group work using the urban timber building "KiGi" as a case study to brainstorm corporate synergies. Concrete discussions emerged, including TNFD disclosure support by Yachiyo Engineering and Nature Positive implementation support by Green Front Research.