Japanese demand for earthquake-resistant building materials, such as thick conifer plywood, is growing.
Leading plywood manufacturer Seihoku Corporation has raised its prices by 4-5% for the product, which is used as structural flooring and walling in timber framed houses.
But the buoyancy is not reflected in the overall Japanese construction market, due to lower government spending on public projects.
The government aims to increase the level of quake-proof new or refurbished homes and public buildings to 90% within the next 10 years. The figure stood at 75% in 2003.
