State of Japan’s Environment at a Glance: Wilderness Areas and Nature Conservation Areas [MOE]

1. Categories

Minami-Iwojima Wilderness Area

Onnebetsudake Wilderness Area

The Nature Conservation Law, the basic framework for nature conservation, protects and manages natural resources and natural ecosystems aided by other related laws.

The Nature Conservation Law makes provisions for the establishment of the following areas

Wilderness Areas are areas that preserve and maintain the original ecosystem and that are free of human influence.

Nature Conservation Areas are natural areas that preserve and maintain the following natural ecosystems.

(a)	Alpine and sub alpine vegetation
(b)	Outstanding natural forests
(c)	Exemplary landforms, geological sites, and natural phenomena
(d)	Rivers, lakes, marshes, and sea coasts with valuable wildlife
(e)	Marine areas with valuable wildlife
(f)	Plant and wildlife habitat that maintain a good, natural environment comparable to (a)-(e)

Prefectural Nature
Conservation Areas are areas other than marine areas that preserve and maintain valuable natural environment at the prefectural level .

2. Designation

The Minister of the Environment designates Wilderness Areas and Nature Conservation Areas after conferring with related governmental agencies and consulting with the Nature Conservation Council. Prefectural Governors designate Prefectural Nature Conservation Areas.

Wilderness Areas and Nature Conservation Areas (As of March 31,2000)

[Item]

	Number	Area (ha)
Wilderness Area	5	5,631
Nature Conservation Area	10	21,593
Prefectural Nature Conservation Area	528	73,863

3. Zoning for Ecosystem Protection

4. Scientific Survey

Scientific Survey (Sakiyamawan Nature Conservation)
Scientific Survey
(Sakiyamawan Nature Conservation Area) Since 1980, the Ministry of the Environment has undertaken comprehensive scientific surveys at each site to ensure the strict protection and management of designated areas and to increase public awareness on nature conservation.
A team of Japanese top scientists organized by the Ministry of the Environment extensively surveys each Wilderness Area and Nature Conservation Area. This extensive survey in Minami-Iwojima led to the identification of new species and species previously thought extinct.

Wilderness Area (Total : 5 areas 5,631 ha.)

District	Prefecture	Area (ha)	Land Ownership	Data of Designation	Features of Natural Environment	Remarks
Onnebetsudake	Hokkaido	1,895	National forest	Feb. 4, 1980	Alpine vegetation mainly composed of creeping pines	No Entry Restricted Zones
Head of River Tokachi	Hokkaido	1,035	National forest	Dec. 28, 1977	Virgin forest of silver fir and fir tree	No Entry Restricted Zones
Head of River Ooi	Shizuoka	1,115	National forest	Mar. 22, 1976	Temperate zone conifer forest and subarctic zone conifer forest	No Entry Restricted Zones
Minami Iwojima (Island)	Tokyo	367	National Forest	May 17, 1975	Tropical and subtropical vegetation, geographical features eroded by the tide, sea birds	All areas designated as Entry Restricted Zones (on June 24, 1983)
Yakushima (Island)	Kagoshima	1,219	National forest	May 17, 1975	Temperate zone evergreen broadleaved forest mainly composed of natural cedar and pasania	No Entry Restricted Zones

As of February 1, 1992

Nature Conservation Area (Total : 10 areas 21,593 ha.)

District	Prefecture	Area (ha)	Land Ownership	Data of Designation	Features of Natural Environment	Remarks
Ohirayama	Hokkaido	674	National forest	Dec. 28, 1977	Natural forest of beech trees (Fagus crenata) located near to the northern border, limestone rock vegetation.	All areas designated as Special Zones and Wildlife Protection Zones.
Shirakami sanchi	Aomori, Akita	14,043	National forest	Oct 7 , 1992	The largest natural beech forest in Japan, valuable flora and fauna, e.g., Black woodpecker	Some areas designated as Special Zones and Wildlife Protection Zones, all areas designated as Special Zones and Wildlife Protection Zones.
Hayachine	Iwate	1,370	National forest	May 17, 1975	Alpine and subalpine vegetation, characteristic vegetation of the Serpentine mountain area, vertical distribution of vegetation from a beech tree zone to an alpine zone.	All areas designated as Special Zones. Some Special Zones also designated as Wildlife Protection Zones.
Wagadake	Iwate	1,451	National forest	May 21, 1981	Beech tree forest, natural forest of "mountain recess oak" (Qleerdus monolica ver.), creeping pine forest, permanent snowfield vegetation.	All areas designated as Special Zones and Wildlife Protection Zones.
0sabiyama	Tochigi	545	National forest	May. 16, 1981	Alpine and subalpine vegetation, natural beech forest.	All areas designated as Special Zones.
Head of River Tone	Gunma	2,318	National forest	Dec. 28, 1977	Alpine low tree forest, beech trees, natural forest of Quereus mongolica var., permanent snowfield vegetation, vegetation characteristic of a snowbridge zone	All areas designated as Special Zones and Wildlife Protection Zones.
Sasagamine	Ehime,Kochi	537	National forest and private forest	Mar. 31, 1982	Beech tree forest, "Shikoku Shirabe" (evergreen conifer belonging to the pine species)	All areas designated as Special Zones, some designated as Wildlife Protection Zones.
Shiragadake	Kumamoto	150	National forest	Mar. 21, 1980	Natural beech forest located close to the limit of southern distribution.	All areas designated as Special Zones.
Inaodake	Kagoshima	377	National forest	May 17, 1975	Evergreen broad-leaved forest mainly composed of witch-hazels and "Urajiro oaks" (a species of beech tree)	All areas designated as Special Zones.
Sakiyamawan (Bay)	Okinawa	128	Sea Surface	May 28, 1983	Large groups of "Azami" coral, coral reef	All areas designated as Marine Special Zones.

as of February 1, 1994