This study conducts a systematic review and comparative analysis of Japan's Forest and
Forestry Basic Plan from 2001 to 2021. Through year-by-year textual interpretation, complemented
by quantitative methods, such as word frequency analysis and correspondence analysis, this study
objectively reveals the structural features of the policy texts and the interrelationships among
successive plans. The findings indicate that Japan’s forest policy has evolved from a responseoriented
governance approach–centered on conservation and industrial remediation–toward an
integrated governance model that incorporates economic revitalization, ecological adaptation,
and social values. Furthermore, this research situates the policy transformation within the broader
context of domestic and international socio-environmental change, exploring the driving forces
behind policy evolution. It elucidates the dynamic process and developmental characteristics
of Japan’s forest policy formation and governance transition in the face of challenges, such as
forestry sector decline, climate change, depopulation in mountain regions, and increasing social
diversification.