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In a 5ch thread, users discussed why forestry work — despite its pitch of “good pay, leaving on time, and easy relationships” — is actually avoided in practice. The posts repeatedly returned to the high number of fatal accidents, citing specific cases like workers being caught by surprise during tree-felling, chain-reaction falling trees, and people getting run over by reversing trucks. Some claimed annual salaries in the range of 2.8 to 5 million-plus yen, and opinions split over whether that’s worth the danger. Commenters also pointed out that hiring is mostly capped at age 40 due to a shortage of young workers, highlighting a deeper structural problem in the industry.
What people said
Not the "probability" of dying — it's the "possibility" of dying
Don't get curious about it
You'll die
About 2.8 million yen
At a piece-rate outfit, getting yelled at by the boss, working through the rain without a day off, busting your ass — maybe around 5 million yen
It's not just about dying yourself
There are also tons of cases of accidentally killing someone else
Looking up fatal accidents in forestry and related industries (like sawmills) is wild
There's one where a guy was guiding a truck that was backing up, the driver didn't notice him, and ran him over
Even old guys can keep working
Young and veteran alike — they die, they kill, they get killed
That's forestry
Anyone who works in forestry is guaranteed to die
And if you die, nobody would even notice
Even on flat ground trees can be off-balance and the wind blows, so it's tough, you know?
And yet most job listings cap applicants at 40
Well, it's hard to train an unconnected amateur over 40 into a full pro, so I guess it can't be helped
That's why forestry colleges are so popular
You get hired by a forestry-related company, learn essentially for free, earn all kinds of certifications, and the company even gets subsidies
It's brutally hot in summer, crawling with bugs, and there are wild animals
Chainsaws can cause serious injury from kickback and the like, but dying from that is rare
Officially, wearing protective chainsaw gear is now mandatory
There was actually a case where someone took cover behind a rock because a tree was falling, and the tree hit the rock directly, causing a rockfall that killed them
You're picturing trees always falling slowly, aren't you
When one comes down suddenly, you can't react in time
Cutting up a fallen tree with exposed roots is genuinely terrifying
But it's insanely hard work, right?
Operating heavy machinery is easy
Though there's still a risk of falling
Even veterans are basically in a "screw it, here goes nothing!" kind of world
Can't say this too loudly, but when someone dies felling trees with a partner, it apparently sometimes gets recorded as if they were working alone
Remote-operated heavy machinery for logging would be great
But here's the thing — forestry in Japan means working on slopes…
Apparently in Europe and Oceania, forestry is done on flat land…
Maybe it'd work if it could confirm no one comes within a radius of twice the tree's height
But there's also the chance the felled tree hits a dead tree, snaps it, and the broken pieces slide down the slope…
There's already heavy machinery that cuts trees
Tobi work pays way more
A life that's all about money, money, money sounds empty
A job where you can truly feel alive out in nature is priceless
Could someone like me — afraid of heights and clumsy — even become a tobi?
The fuel revolution really changed everything
Back when wood was the main fuel, even cutting thin trees turned a profit
Background and key points of this discussion
The dangers of forestry work discussed in this thread are deeply tied to Japan’s unique terrain, where most of the country consists of steep slopes. As some posters noted, forestry in Europe and Oceania mainly involves mechanized logging on flat land, where slope-related risks like those in Japan are comparatively lower. As a safety measure, wearing protective gear while operating a chainsaw has been made mandatory, yet the discussion centered on the fact that serious injuries and fatal accidents still haven’t been eliminated. Annual income also varies by several million yen depending on whether pay is piece-rate or a fixed salary, revealing that it’s not simply accurate to call the job “lucrative.” It’s worth noting that the testimonies in the thread are individual anecdotes, not official statistics representing the industry’s overall fatality rate or average income.
※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Nanidemo Jikkyo G) thread “Forestry: ‘You’ll earn good money. You’ll leave on time. Relationships are easy.’ — Here’s why nobody picks it“.
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