Press ReleasesNippon Paper Announces to update the Agreement on Forest Development Activities in National Forests with Diverse Activity

Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd.

Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd. (Tokyo: 3863; President: Toru Nozawa; the "Company") has announced to update the Agreement on Forest Development Activities in National Forests with Diverse Activity on March 22, 2023, an agreement to carry out forest conservation activities in approximately nine hectares of national forest on Iriomote Island that was entered into with the Forestry Agency Kyushu Regional Forest Office Okinawa District Forest Office (Head Office: Naha, Okinawa; Director: Kaori Ito) in August 2017.

This agreement is based on the People's Participation in Forest Development Through Agreements system established by the Forestry Agency to promote the development of forests with public participation through a variety of forest maintenance and conservation activities in national forests.

Precious wild animal and plant species live on Iriomote Island including the Iriomote wild cat, which has been designated a special national treasure, and the island was registered as a world natural heritage site in 2021. However, large numbers of invasive non-native plants over an extensive area have become a problem, and the preservation of biological diversity to maintain the abundant nature of the area is a major theme that should continue to be tackled in the future.

The Company formerly managed forests on national land on Iriomote Island, and based on an agreement from 2017, primarily conducted regular exterminations and surveys on the propagation status of Bay Biscayne Creeping-oxeye, an invasive species needing urgent attention, in collaboration with the Iriomote Island Eco-Tourism Association (Taketomicho, Yaeyamagun, Okinawa; Chairman: Shoken Taira). As a result of activities over the past five years, there has been hardly any regeneration of Bay Biscayne Creeping-oxeye seen in the target area.

Based on these results, the update to this agreement ensures the continuation of activities for another five years. In addition to past activities, the Company will also monitor the state of intrusion of other non-native species in the future.

As a comprehensive biomass company shaping the future with trees, the Company will contribute to the development of a sustainable society by offering the diverse value of forests to society through future preservation of biological diversity and cooperation with local communities.