Hokkaido´s Shiretoko May Get UNESCO Heritage Status

A site on the Shiretoko Peninsula in eastern Hokkaido, Japan, is expected to be added to UNESCO´s World Heritage List this summer following a recommendation by an advisory body, government officials said.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources has told UNESCO that Shiretoko would merit inclusion as a world natural heritage site because it meets the criteria in terms of ecosystem and biodiversity, Japanese Environment Minister Yuriko Koike said.

According to the assessment by the IUCN, Shiretoko is a good model in which marine and land ecosystems are correlated.

The area is also highly important for its biodiversity, which includes numerous kinds of fish in the salmon family, marine mammals, including sea lions, and various migratory birds, it said.

The registration is expected to be decided on during the 29th session of the World Heritage Committee in Durban, South Africa, to run from July 10 to July 17, the officials said.

If approved, Shiretoko would be Japan´s third natural heritage site on the UNESCO list, following the Shirakami mountains in Aomori and Akita prefectures, and Yakushima Island in Kagoshima Prefecture. Both were registered in 1993 for their ancient forests and rich flora.