Planned infrastructure spending in the US is having a knock-on effect on the price of lumber, pushing wood prices up 35% this year. As of April 23, 2021, CME lumber futures are five times what they were in April 2020.

What does this ‘wood shock’ have to do with Japan? With the majority of new detached house construction built with wood frame, the skyrocketing cost of raw materials is likely to make homes more expensive. Approximately 70% of wood used in home construction in Japan is imported.

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