February 3, 2005
The Ministry of the Environment opens a web page to foster accurate public awareness on the Invasive Alien Species Act.
This web page (http://www.env.go.jp/nature/intro/index.html) outlines the issues of the invasive alien species (hereinafter referred to as the "IAS"), the background, summary of the Act as well as possible measures to be taken for IAS in Q&A form. As the deliberation of designating IAS is now in process, the purpose of this web page is to inform the public of the proper management of IAS to prevent desertion or release of species which may be designated as IAS. The content of the page will be modified as the course of the deliberation.
Alien species refers to the species which are not indigenous to a local area and are introduced by human from the other areas including foreign countries. When alien species intrude into an ecosystem which is maintained on a delicate balance, it may pose adverse effects not only on the ecosystem but human life, agriculture, forestry and fishery and sometimes lead serious and critical issues.