The Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry has drafted legislation that would shift the emphasis in Japan's forestry policy to environmental and land conservation from the promotion of the forestry industry, ministry sources said Sunday.

The legislation is aimed at instituting a basic law on forestry and the forestry industry as well as revising the existing Forestry Law. It would require the government to set up a basic plan on forestry every five years.

The planned basic law would recognize, and aim to maintain, the multifunctional roles of forestry in the conservation of land and water resources, the curbing of greenhouse gases and the securing of forestry product supplies.

In addition to conservation, the basic law would also aim to help people in mountainous regions remain settled by securing employment for them.

The law fails to stipulate an income compensation plan for farmers living in mountainous regions. However, it contains protection measures for when such people suffer economic losses due to disasters or a sharp rise in forestry product imports.

The revised Forestry Law, meanwhile, would divide Japan's forestry areas into three classes. The first is for conservation of land and water resources, the second for the protection of flora and fauna, and the third for production of forestry products.

The revised law would require central and local government afforestation plans be drawn up according to the three classes.

The ministry is hoping the Cabinet will approve the bill in early March so it can be submitted for parliamentary approval.

The shift in emphasis is in line with a major framework of forestry policy the government adopted in December to promote the multifunctional roles of forestry.