Prime Minister Naoto Kan held an exchange of views with the Committee to Regenerate Healthy Forests in Japan at the Prime Minister's Office.

The Prime Minister said in his opening address, "I have this notion that plants will save the Earth, and in that sense I believe forestry or forests have immense significance in a variety of contexts. Although Japan fortunately has two-thirds of its land area covered by forests, we have not necessarily taken advantage of them proactively. Indeed I believe we, the Government, and Japan as a country, need to examine how this situation can be reshaped."