World Natural Heritage
In 2021, Amami-Oshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, northern part of Okinawa Island, and Iriomote Island were inscribed as a World Heritage site.
A World Natural Heritage site is a natural area recognized as having Outstanding Universal Value. It is part of our shared heritage of humanity that we must protect and pass down to future generations.
To be inscribed as a World Natural Heritage site, a property must meet at least one of four criteria: natural beauty, geology and landforms, ecosystems, or biodiversity.
Amami-Oshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, northern part of Okinawa Island, and Iriomote Island were inscribed under the biodiversity criterion as globally significant habitats for many rare and endemic species.
mami-Oshima Island, Tokunoshima Island,
Northern part of Okinawa Island, and Iriomote Island
These four areas were inscribed as World Natural Heritage Sites representing the Central and Southern Ryukyus, one of the most biologically diverse regions in the world. Although they cover less than 0.5 percent of Japan's total land area, they are home to an extraordinary diversity of plants and animals, including many endemic species.
Northern part of Okinawa Island
Yambaru is the northernmost region of Okinawa Island. Its name is traditionally written with Japanese characters meaning “mountains and forests.” Yambaru’s interior consists of low mountains, some 80 percent of which are covered by lush subtropical forests.
Yambaru's Rich Biodiversity
Measuring 32 kilometers from north to south and 12 kilometers from east to west, Yambaru is relatively undeveloped compared to the rest of the island. Despite its modest size, it hosts a surprisingly large variety of wildlife.The separation long ago of the Ryukyu chain from the Asian continent and the main islands of Japan led to unique paths of development of many endemic species, including the endangered Okinawa rail (Japan’s only flightless bird), the Okinawa woodpecker, and the Yambaru long-armed scarab beetle.
