Oji Paper Co. will begin planting trees in an area of the lower Yangtze river in March as part of a joint afforestation project in China between Japan's Federation of Economic Organizations (Keidanren) and the Chinese government, officials of Japan's biggest paper mill said Tuesday.
Oji will initially afforest 500 hectares in Changshou, northeast of Chongqing in Sichuan Province, over five years, the officials said.
Areas along the Yangtze river are often devastated by floods as a result of excessive felling for the creation of farmland.
Trees to be planted will include poplars gene-spliced to be resistant to mice, the officials said.
Keidanren will finance the afforestation project in China with donations from member companies.