A business owner in Japan is determined to preserve the domestic charcoal industry, which has experienced a significant decline in production.Naoyuki Hirose is making efforts to improve the health of forests surrounding small villages, traditional Japanese rural landscapes and mountains, to eventually reduce damage from landslides in the disaster-prone country.His efforts are also opening sales channels to high-end restaurants, thereby supporting the livelihoods of charcoal makers.According to government data, the number of people engaged in charcoal production in Japan fell to 1,491 in 202…READ FULL ARTICLE
