Deforestation is destroying the beauty of Iwate Prefecture, which is home to some of northern Japan's most breathtaking scenery. In fact, mountain logging is having a disastrous effect on the whole ecosystem: bare of trees, the mountains are unable to hold water, leading to flooding and drought and massive soil erosion. As is so often the case in Japan, the culprit is the bureaucracy - the Forestry Agency, which mandates continued logging despite low demand for timber.