林業作業 林業作業
What 林業作業 do
An English description is being prepared. Japanese description:
林業作業の仕事には、植林がしやすいように整地をする「地ごしらえ」、苗木を植えていく「植林」、苗木の周辺に生えた雑草を刈り払う「下刈り」、節のない木材を生産するために枝を切り落とす「枝打ち」、全体に十分な光と養分がいきわたるように木の本数を減らす「間伐」、最終的に残った大きな木を伐採して収穫する「主伐（しゅばつ）」がある。
作業は、チェーンソーでの伐採や刈払機、枝払いから一定の長さにそろえて切る測尺（そくじゃく）・玉切り（たまぎり）や集積作業までを一貫して行うハーベスタやプロセッサ、集材専用車両のフォワーダなどの大型森林機械の操作、更にはフォークリフト、クレーンなどの操縦により行う。伐採した木材の運搬や、運搬のための林道建設も仕事に含まれる。自然を対象にする仕事なので、季節によって仕事内容も大きく変わる。
自然に囲まれた環境で仕事ができることや、時間の経過とともに植林した樹木の成長がはっきり目で見えることにやりがいを感じる人が多い。
◇ よく使う道具、機材、情報技術等
大型森林機械（ハーベスタ、プロセッサ、フォワーダ（集材専用車両）等）、フォークリフト、クレーン、刈払機、普通自動車（普通免許（第一種、第二種）で運転可能なもの）、工具（のこぎり等の手動工具、チェーンソー、ドリル等の電動工具）、作業中の保護具（ヘルメット、ゴーグル、グローブ、安全靴等）
Employment type of workers
林業作業 salary
The average annual pay for 林業作業 in Japan is ¥3.61M (≈ $22,941; Basic Survey on Wage Structure (2025), national). The estimated median is ¥3.35M, the typical range is ¥2.60M–¥5.88M and the top 10% earn about ¥5.12M.
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The distribution is estimated from Japan's national wage statistics, including pay differences by age.
Pay by ageest.
Estimated from the average pay and average age (49.1) using the age-wage curve of the Basic Survey on Wage Structure.
Pay by experienceest.
Pay by employment typeest.
The average hourly wage of ¥1,708 is 1.5× Japan's national average minimum wage of ¥1,177 (fiscal 2026). Minimum wage by prefecture →
Japanese pay is shown in yen (¥5.57M = 5.57 million yen ≈ 557万円). Dollar figures use the current rate of 157.25 yen per dollar and are for reference only; purchasing power differs.
Pay over time
| Year | Average pay | Employment | Openings ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | ¥3.44M | — | — |
| 2022 | ¥3.61M | — | — |
| 2023 | ¥3.74M | — | 2.22x |
| 2024 | ¥3.52M | — | 2.25x |
| 2025 | ¥3.61M | — | 2.21x |
Projected pay for 林業作業 (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today ¥3.61M → in 3 years ¥3.96M → in 5 years ¥4.21M → in 10 years ¥4.91M (10-year range ¥4.23M–¥5.70M). The model assumes pay growth of +3.1% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (the job-openings-to-applicants ratio), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for 林業作業
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace 林業作業? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using the MHLW job tag survey on work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for 林業作業
A ratio above 1.0 means there are more job openings than applicants (a labor shortage). The 5- and 10-year figures are estimates from the openings ratio, wage momentum and AI replacement risk.
The same job in the United States
| 林業作業 Japan | Forest and Conservation Workers United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Median / average pay | ¥3.61M ≈ $22,941 | $43,680 |
| Pay in 10 years (est.) | ¥4.91M | $58,200 |
| Outlook score | 57 | 51 |
| AI replacement risk | 16% Very low | 24% Low |
| Workers | — | 6,050 |
Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.
Skills, education and requirements for 林業作業
Key skills
Skill levels from the MHLW job tag worker survey.
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Licenses and certifications (Japan)
- 測量士
- 1級林業技能士 National license
- 2級林業技能士 National license
- 3級林業技能士 National license
Related qualifications listed on job tag (names in Japanese). Some are mandatory, others recommended.
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Difficulty of entry: ★★☆☆☆ Fairly easy (from education, training, experience, licenses)
How to become 林業作業
The typical path in Japan is shown by the education, training and experience of current workers above and in the Japanese guidance below. A detailed English guide for this occupation is being prepared.
Guidance from job tag (Japanese)
チェーンソーや刈払機を使用する仕事をする場合には、安全衛生のため公的機関などが実施している講習を受ける。林道建設に役立つ測量士や、ハーベスタなど大型林業機械の取扱い資格、労働安全関連の資格があれば就職には有利となる。
林業従事者数は長期的に減少傾向で推移しており令和2年(2020年)には約44,000人となっている。
林業作業の仕事に新たに就く人は年間で概ね3,000人前後で推移し、直近では3,333人となっている。（2023年時点*1）。約半数が50歳以上で占められていて、様々な職業を経て30代、40代で初めて林業作業の職に就く人もいる。自然が好きで林業をやりたいという気持ちがあれば、学歴や職歴、年齢などの制限は比較的少ない職種といえる。
育林・伐採・運搬など、林業の業務は班単位で作業を行うため、協調性が求められる。
*1 林野庁 林業労働力の動向
Career path and how to earn more as 林業作業
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by experience is shown in the Pay section.