The Ramsar Convention (Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat) is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands.[1] Adopted in 1971, it entered into force in 1975 and as of March 2011 has 160 Contracting Parties.[2] Japan was the twenty-fourth party to accede, on 17 October 1980.[2] Kushiro-shitsugen was the first of Japan's thirty-seven Ramsar Sites as of the tenth Conference of the Contracting Parties (2008), with protected wetlands totalling 130,027 hectares.[3][4] Japan has set the objective of designating six more sites by the time of COP11 in 2012.[4]
Ramsar Site | Prefecture | Altitude | Area | Designation | Image | National Park status | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Akan-ko (阿寒湖 ) | Hokkaidō (北海道県 ) | 420m | 1,318ha | 2005 | Akan National Park (阿寒国立公園 ) | [5] | |
Akiyoshidai Groundwater System (秋吉台地下水系 ) | Yamaguchi Prefecture (山口県 ) | 80-426m | 563 ha | 2005 | Akiyoshidai Quasi-National Park (秋吉台国定公園 ) | [6] | |
Akkeshi-ko & Bekambeushi-shitsugen (厚岸湖 別寒辺牛湿原 ) | Hokkaidō (北海道県 ) | 0-20m | 5,277ha | 1993 | N/A | [7] | |
Biwa-ko (琵琶湖 ) | Shiga Prefecture (滋賀県 ) | 86m | 65,984ha | 1993 | Biwako Quasi-National Park (琵琶湖国定公園 ) | [8] | |
Fujimae-Higata (藤前干潟 ) | Aichi Prefecture (愛知県 ) | 1-4m | 323 ha | 2002 | N/A | [9] | |
Furen-ko & Shunkuni-tai (風蓮湖 春国岱 ) | Hokkaidō (北海道県 ) | 1m | 6,139ha | 2005 | N/A | [10] | |
Hotokenuma (仏沼 ) | Aomori Prefecture (青森県 ) | 0-10m | 222ha | 2005 | N/A | [11] | |
Hyo-ko (瓢湖 ) | Niigata Prefecture (新潟県 ) | 8.6m | 24ha | 2008 | N/A | [12] | |
Imuta-ike (藺牟田池 ) | Kagoshima Prefecture (鹿児島県 ) | 296m | 60ha | 2005 | N/A | [13] | |
Izu-numa and Uchi-numa (伊豆沼・内沼 ) | Miyagi Prefecture (宮城県 ) | 7m | 559ha | 1985 | N/A | [14] | |
Kabukuri-numa and the surrounding rice paddies (蕪栗沼 ) | Miyagi Prefecture (蕪栗沼・周辺水田 ) | 5.7m | 423ha | 2005 | N/A | [15] | |
Katano-kamoike (片野鴨池 ) | Ishikawa Prefecture (石川県 ) | 2.5-8m | 10ha | 1993 | Echizen-Kaga Kaigan Quasi-National Park (越前加賀海岸国定公園 ) | [16] | |
Kejo-numa (化女沼 ) | Miyagi Prefecture (宮城県 ) | 25.9m | 34ha | 2008 | N/A | [17] | |
Kerama-shoto Coral Reef (慶良間諸島海域 ) | Okinawa Prefecture (沖縄県 ) | 0m | 353ha | 2005 | Okinawa Kaigan Quasi-National Park (沖縄海岸国定公園 ) | [18] | |
Kiritappu-shitsugen (霧多布湿原 ) | Hokkaidō (北海道県 ) | 0-3m | 2504ha | 1993 | N/A | [19] | |
Kuju Bogatsuru and Tadewara-shitsugen (くじゅう坊ガツル・タデ原湿原 ) | Ōita Prefecture (大分県 ) | 1000-1270m | 91ha | 2005 | Aso Kujū National Park (阿蘇くじゅう国立公園 ) | [20] | |
Kushimoto Coral Communities (串本沿岸海域 ) | Wakayama Prefecture (和歌山 ) | -20-0m | 574ha | 2005 | Yoshino-Kumano National Park (吉野熊野国立公園 ) | [21] | |
Kushiro-shitsugen (釧路湿原 ) | Hokkaidō (北海道県 ) | 3-10m | 7863ha | 2005 | Kushiro Shitsugen National Park (釧路湿原国立公園 ) | [22] | |
Kutcharo-ko (クッチャロ湖 ) | Hokkaidō (北海道県 ) | 1-2m | 1607ha | 1989 | N/A | [23] | |
Manko (漫湖 ) | Okinawa Prefecture (沖縄県 ) | -0.5m | 58ha | 1999 | N/A | [24] | |
Mikata-goko (三方五湖 ) | Fukui Prefecture (福井県 ) | 0m | 1110ha | 2005 | Wakasawan Quasi-National Park (若狭湾国定公園 ) | [25] | |
Miyajima-numa (宮島沼 ) | Hokkaidō (北海道県 ) | 13m | 41ha | 2002 | N/A | [26] | |
Nagura-Ampuru (名蔵アンパル ) | Okinawa Prefecture (沖縄県 ) | 0m | 157ha | 2005 | N/A | [27] | |
Nakaumi (中海 ) | Shimane Prefecture (島根県 ) | 0m | 8043ha | 2005 | N/A | [28] | |
Notsuke-hanto and Notsuke-wan (野付半島・野付湾 ) | Hokkaidō (北海道県 ) | 0-10m | 6053ha | 2005 | N/A | [29] | |
Oku-Nikko-shitsugen (奥日光湿原 ) | Tochigi Prefecture (栃木県 ) | 1400-1475m | 260ha | 2005 | Nikkō National Park (日光国立公園 ) | [30] | |
Oyama Kami-ike and Shimo-ike (大山上池・下池 ) | Yamagata Prefecture (山形県 ) | 12m | 39ha | 2008 | N/A | [31] | |
Oze (尾瀬 ) | Fukushima Prefecture (福島県 ) | 1400-2356m | 8711 | 2005 | Oze National Park (尾瀬国立公園 ) | [32] | |
Sakata (佐潟 ) | Niigata Prefecture (新潟県 ) | 5m | 76ha | 1996 | Sado-Yahiko-Yoneyama Quasi-National Park (佐渡弥彦米山国定公園 ) | [33] | |
Sarobetsu-genya (サロベツ原野 ) | Hokkaidō (北海道県 ) | 3-7m | 2560ha | 2005 | N/A | [34] | |
Shinji-ko (宍道湖 ) | Shimane Prefecture (島根県 ) | 0.3m | 7652ha | 2005 | N/A | [35] | |
Streams in Kumejima (久米島の渓流・湿地 ) | Okinawa Prefecture (沖縄県 ) | 120-280m | 255ha | 2009 | N/A | [36] | |
Tofutsu-ko (濤沸湖 ) | Hokkaidō (北海道県 ) | 1m | 900ha | 2005 | N/A | [37] | |
Uryunuma-shitsugen (雨竜沼湿原 ) | Hokkaidō (北海道県 ) | 850-900m | 624ha | 2005 | Shokanbetsu-Teuri-Yagishiri Quasi-National Park (暑寒別天売焼尻国定公園 ) | [38] | |
Utonai-ko (ウトナイ湖 ) | Hokkaidō (北海道県 ) | 1-5m | 510ha | 1991 | N/A | [39] | |
Yakushima Nagata-hama (屋久島永田浜 ) | Kagoshima Prefecture (鹿児島県 ) | <10m | 10ha | 2005 | Kirishima-Yaku National Park (霧島屋久国立公園 ) | [40] | |
Yatsu-higata (谷津干潟 ) | Chiba Prefecture (千葉県 ) | 0m | 40ha | 1993 | N/A | [41] |