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Forest nursery workers

How to become a Forestry Worker

Also called: Tree Planter, Pruner, Thinning Worker, Logger, Tree Feller, Timber Hauler, Harvester Operator, Brush Cutter

Looks after forests and does forestry work such as preparing sites, planting, clearing undergrowth, pruning, felling, cutting logs and gathering and transporting timber.

Main tasks

Workers in this job say high school is common. From job tag's survey of people in each job, who could give several answers. It shows what workers see as common, not how many workers hold each level.

How to become one

No particular qualifications or level of education are needed to start. People usually join a forestry business such as a forest owners' cooperative or forestry company after finishing school. Some join through publicly funded employment support schemes run by related organisations to train new forestry workers (such as Green Employment). People who use chainsaws or brush cutters take safety and health courses run by public bodies and others. Qualifications such as surveyor, which is useful for building forest roads, licences for large forestry machinery such as harvesters, and workplace safety qualifications all help in getting a job. The number of forestry workers has been falling over the long term and was about 44,000 in 2020. About 3,000 people a year take up new forestry jobs, with the latest figure being 3,333 (as of 2023*1). About half are aged 50 or over, and some take up forestry for the first time in their thirties or forties after other jobs. If you like nature and want to work in forestry, there are relatively few limits on education, work history or age. Forestry work such as forest care, felling and transport is done in teams, so you need to cooperate well. *1 Forestry Agency, Trends in the Forestry Workforce

Ways in

Pay · Job openings · AI and this job

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Forestry Worker?

No particular qualifications or level of education are needed to start. People usually join a forestry business such as a forest owners' cooperative or forestry company after finishing school. Some join through publicly funded employment support schemes run by related organisations to train new forestry workers (such as Green Employment). People who use chainsaws or brush cutters take safety and health courses run by public bodies and others. Qualifications such as surveyor, which is useful for building forest roads, licences for large forestry machinery such as harvesters, and workplace safety qualifications all help in getting a job. The number of forestry workers has been falling over the long term and was about 44,000 in 2020. About 3,000 people a year take up new forestry jobs, with the latest figure being 3,333 (as of 2023*1). About half are aged 50 or over, and some take up forestry for the first time in their thirties or forties after other jobs. If you like nature and want to work in forestry, there are relatively few limits on education, work history or age. Forestry work such as forest care, felling and transport is done in teams, so you need to cooperate well. *1 Forestry Agency, Trends in the Forestry Workforce

How much does a Forestry Worker earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥3,607,500 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). The figure is for the wage survey group Agriculture, forestry and fishery workers, which covers several jobs.

Do you need a degree to become a Forestry Worker?

Usually not. In this job's census occupation group, only 15% of workers are university graduates. Ways in include: National trade skills test (技能検定).

Will AI change the work of a Forestry Worker?

Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 解説系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_description_7_01.xlsx）ver.7.01 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 簡易版数値系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_numeric_7_00.xlsx）ver.7.00 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

Sources: JILPT Occupational Information Database download data via job tag (解説系 ver.7.01 and 簡易版数値系 ver.7.00, downloaded 4 October 2026), processed by Peernovo; MHLW, Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025; Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2020 Population Census; MEXT, School Basic Survey 2025; MHLW, Employment Referrals for General Workers (Hello Work statistics). Figures processed by Peernovo. English job names, translations and the matching of jobs to statistical groups, schools and degree fields by Peernovo.

Updated 4 October 2026