c o n t e n t s Conservation and Wise Use of Rich and Diverse Wetlands RAMSAR SITES in JAPAN The Japanese Archipelago and Nature ...................................... 2 Location Map of Ramsar Sites in Japan ....................................... 8 Kutcharo-ko .................................... 9 of mammals, 700 species of birds, 30,000 Sarobetsu-genya ......................... 10 species of insects and 7000 species of vas- Uryunuma-shitsugen ................... 11 The Japanese Archi- cular plants as well as many endemics. Miyajima-numa ............................ 12 The population of Japan is 127.5 mil- Onuma .......................................... 13 pelago and Nature Utonai-ko ......................................14 lion, most of which is concentrated in Tofutsu-ko ....................................15 The Japanese Archipelago is an island the very small flatland areas. The average Notsuke-hanto and Notsuke-wan chain spanning 3000km from north to population density is 343 persons per km2. ................................................ 16 south along the Japan Sea in the east Human intervention and the changing Furen-ko and Shunkuni-tai .......... 17 Kiritappu-shitsugen .................... 18 of the Eurasian continent. It consists of lifestyle induced by rapid urbanization Akkeshi-ko and Bekambeushi- four major islands of Hokkaido, Honshu, during the high economic growth have shitsugen ............................... 19 Shikoku, and Kyushu, with 6000 islands increasingly exerted pressures on the Kushiro-shitsugen ...................... 20 surrounding them. natural landscape, as well as biosphere in Akan-ko ....................................... 21 The geography of Japan is diverse as Japan. As a result, many flora and fauna Hotokenuma ............................... 22 Izu-numa and Uchi-numa ........... 23 seen in its high altitude mountain ranges are faced with extinction. Kabukuri-numa and the surround- exceeding 3000m in height, coastlines ing rice paddies ..................... 24 of over 30,000km, and hundreds of riv- Kejo-numa .................................. 25 ers and streams flow down the generally Oyama Kami-ike and Shimo-ike ................................................ 26 steep, eroded slopes. Status of Wetlands in Hyo-ko ......................................... 27 Spanning subarctic to subtropical Sakata ......................................... 28 zones, climatic conditions are varied as Japan Oze .............................................. 29 well, influenced by seasonal monsoon Oku-Nikko-shitsugen .................. 30 winds, with distinct weather patterns for Because of the large amount of precipi- Watarase-yusuichi ...................... 31 each season and average precipitation ex- tation and the surrounding oceans, Japan Yatsu-higata ................................ 32 Tateyama Midagahara and ceeding 1000mm per annum. is a country blessed with water. Conse- Dainichidaira ......................... 33 Forests cover over 25 million ha, or 67% quently, within its small land area there Katano-kamoike ........................... 34 of the total area of Japan, with most found are numerous marshlands, rivers, ponds Nakaikemi-shicchi ........................ 35 in mountainous areas. The slopes of the and lakes, beaches, tidal flats, coral reefs, Mikata-goko ................................. 36 Tokai Hilly Land Spring- mountains are generally steep and dis- mangrove forests, seagrass/seaweed fed Mires ............................... 37 sected by many ravines and gorges. Most beds, rice paddies, reservoirs, springs, Fujimae-higata ........................... 38 plains and basins are small in size and and underground water systems, which Biwa-ko ...................................... 39 scattered among hills or along the coasts. represent the myriad of wetland types Lower Maruyama River and the surrounding rice paddies ....... 40 Many of them were shaped by the river supporting Japan’s rich biodiversity. Kushimoto Coral Communities sediments. ................................................ 41 Land use is quite complex in Japan, due Marshlands: Nakaumi ...................................... 42 mainly to its topography. Most mountains In the field of soil science, marshlands Shinji-ko ...................................... 43 and hilly areas are covered by forests with are known as peatlands. These can be clas- Miyajima ..................................... 44 some parts converted to pastures and sified into high moors which are rich in Akiyoshidai Groundwater System ................................................ 45 orchards. Flatlands including plateaus, plant species such as sphagnum sustained Kuju Bogatsuru and Tadewara- terraces and plains are generally used only by nutrient-poor rainfall, low moors shitsugen ............................... 46 for agricultural and residential purposes. where reeds and sedge thrive enriched Arao-higata .................................. 47 Rice paddies dominate the plains except in with trophic salts from rivers, and the in- Imuta-ike ...................................... 48 Yakushima Nagata-hama ............ 49 sprawling urban areas. termediate moors characterized by colo- Manko ......................................... 50 In such a country where there is a rich nies of plants such as Moliniopsis japonica. Kerama-shoto Coral Reef ............ 51 growth of all forms of life, the Japanese As low moors tend to be directly im- Streams in Kume-jima ................ 52 have nurtured a culture to live in accord- pacted by human activity, those at lower Yonaha-wan ................................. 53 ance with the changing seasons while they altitudes in southern Honshu have long Nagura Amparu ........................... 54 were forced to live while facing the natu- been converted into rice paddies and resi- ral disasters such as earthquakes and vol- dential areas. canic eruptions. However, instead of con- While they are found as far south as fronting nature, the Japanese acclimated Yakushima Island, intermediate moors are to nature and cultivated wide-ranging generally distributed in cool temperate knowledge, skill, arts, sensitivity, and a zones throughout Japan. sense of beauty. High moors are found extensively in the Japan’s rich biodiversity has been Chubu region of central Honshu and Hokkai- shaped by the climate, intricate land use, do in the north, and provide important habi- diverse natural environment and tradi- tats for relict species of the Ice Age. tional view of nature in each region where The largest marshland in Japan is Ku- people live harmoniously with nature. shiro-shitugen, a Ramsar site in Hokkaido, Approximately 69,000 species have been with an area of 18,000ha. There are many identified in Japan including 160 species other marshlands designated as Ramsar 2 RAMSAR SITES in JAPAN Status of Wetlands in Japan sites such as Sarobetsu-genya, Kiritappu- as the managed broad-leaved deciduous Coastlines: shitugen, Bekambeushi-shitsugen, Utonai- forests in the surrounding hills form the Japan consists of over 6000 islands ko, Uryunuma-shitsugen, Oze, Oku-Nikko- unique, secondary natural environments and the total length of the coast line is shitsugen, and Kuju Bogatsuru and found everywhere in Japan. This sort of 32,800km, of which 53.1% is natural and Tedewara-shitsugen. secondary natural environment is a rich 33.0% artificial. Approximately 1300km repository of biodiversity and has been of natural coastline has disappeared due Rivers: maintained by moderate human distur- to artificial modification in the 20 years Japan has 109 principal river systems bances such as the undergrowth clearing following 1978. In the main islands of encompassing about 14,000 rivers and and pond dredging that have been con- Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu, streams. Because Japan has many moun- ducted in people’s daily lives. However, natural coast line covers only 42.3%. tains, most rivers are short in length, and this balance has been lost because of the The Ramsar sites along the coast- travel down steep inclines to the ocean. changing lifestyle. line includes Miyajima, a well conserved Heavy rainfalls in the upper reaches result Rice paddies are the grounds for food natural coast and forest in the back, and in repeated sudden floods. Flood control is production as well as the important Yakushima Nagata-hama, a natural sand the greatest challenge in river basin man- stopover sites and feeding grounds for beach which is the largest nesting habi- agement schemes. migratory birds such as shorebirds and tat for the Loggerhead Sea Turtle in the Of the 113 major rivers in Japan, very few other waterfowl. In addition, rice paddies Northern Pacific region. remain in their natural state, unmarked by provide habitats for innumerable aquatic dams, dikes, and sluices. Natu- Brackish Lakes: ral riverbanks have largely un- There are numbers of coastal dergone artificial modification, lagoons in Japan and most of resulting in the habitat loss for them are brackish lakes linked aquatic species every year. The to the sea. Often being the Bekambeushi River in a Ramsar final depository of organic site in Hokkaido is one of the trophic materials from rivers, exceptional rivers retaining all these lakes are shallow, with a of its natural riverbanks. complex ecosystem combining freshwater and saline environ- Freshwater Lakes: ments. These combined char- Various types of lakes are acteristics create a highly pro- scattered throughout the coun- ductive ecosystem that abounds try.