20 More Japanese Wetlands Designated as Ramsar Sites

Twenty additional wetlands have been designated to the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Sites), bringing the total number of Ramsar sites in Japan up to 33, the Japanese Ministry of the Environment announced on November 8, 2005. The newly designated wetlands include Akanko and Furenko-Shunkunitai in Hokkaido, Hotoke-numa in Aomori Prefecture, the Notsuke Peninsula/Notsuke Bay and Kabukuri-numa together with surrounding rice paddy areas in Miyagi Prefecture, and Shinjiko in Shimane Prefecture.

The Ministry of the Environment's efforts have been in pursuit of a goal of increasing Japan's number of Ramsar sites to 22 or more in time for the Ninth Conference of the Parties to the Ramsar Convention (COP9) held on Nov. 8-15, 2005. The ministry also established the Law for the Promotion of Nature Restoration to facilitate the restoration of wetlands such as rivers, swamps, tidelands and seaweed beds. It also established the Invasive Alien Species Act, and has promoted international cooperation for wetland conservation.

- New Ramsar Sites Designated: Miyajima-numa and Fujimae-higata (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/db/170-e
- Environment Ministry Selects Ramsar Candidate Sites (Related JFS article)
http://www.japanfs.org/db/826-e

Posted: 2006/01/21 06:22:42 AM
Japanese version