Amami-Ōshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, the northern part of Okinawa Island, and Iriomote Island (奄美大島、徳之島、沖縄島北部及び西表島) are part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This site includes five different areas on four Japanese islands in the Ryukyu Arc (Nansei Islands). The site was chosen because of its rich biodiversity (World Heritage criterion x). It has many unique plant and animal species that are only found in this region.

History

In 2003, the site was first chosen as a candidate for World Heritage status. Its nomination was added to the Tentative List in 2016. After an initial review by the IUCN in 2018, the nomination was removed for changes. It was resubmitted the next year. Following further review, the IUCN recommended adding the site to the World Heritage List in July 2021. UNESCO officially listed it as a World Heritage Site in 2021.

Throughout the process of seeking World Heritage status, the site’s name was changed at least twice. When a group of natural scientists added it to Japan’s Tentative List, it was named Ryūkyū Shotō. This name followed scientific naming practices but did not match the Japanese government’s official definition, which does not include the Amami Islands in Ryūkyū Shotō. The Amami Islands and Kagoshima Prefecture strongly opposed being labeled as part of Ryūkyū. As a result, the site was renamed Amami–Ryukyu. In late 2015, UNESCO advised Japan to use a more accurate name for the nominated area. In response, the site was renamed again in 2016 to its current, detailed name.

Biodiversity

The area, which covers 426.98 square kilometers (164.86 square miles), is home to about 1,819 types of vascular plants, 21 types of land mammals, 394 kinds of birds, 21 species of amphibians, 36 species of land reptiles, and 267 species of inland fish. Some of these species are found nowhere else in the world, such as the Amami rabbit, Okinawa rail, and Iriomote cat. Among the vascular plants, 189 species (about 10%) are unique to this area. Of the land mammals, 13 species (62%) are endemic, as are 5 bird species, 18 amphibian species (86%), 23 reptile species (64%), and 14 inland fish species. In addition, out of 6,153 insect species found in the area, 1,607 are unique to this region.

Endemic species include the following, with EDGE species marked by an asterisk. Note that Iriomote's Kampira Falls frog, which is an EDGE species, is not listed here because it is also found in Taiwan.

In addition, the northern part of Okinawa, called Yanbaru, is home to subspecies of birds such as the Ashy minivet, Brown-eared bulbul, brown boobook, Collared scops owl, Japanese bush warbler, Japanese paradise flycatcher, Japanese pygmy woodpecker, Japanese tit, Japanese white-eye, Large-billed crow, Narcissus flycatcher, Oriental turtle dove, Ruddy-breasted crake, Ruddy kingfisher, and Varied tit. In the Yaeyama Islands, which include Iriomote, subspecies of the Brown-eared bulbul, Emerald dove, Japanese pygmy woodpecker, Japanese tit, and Japanese wood pigeon are found.

Protection

The areas of the site and the species that live there are protected through several different methods. These include being named as National Parks, such as Amami Guntō National Park, Yanbaru National Park, and Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park. They are also designated as Forest Biosphere Reserves, like Amami Guntō Forest Biosphere Reserve, Yanbaru Forest Biosphere Reserve, and Iriomote Forest Biosphere Reserve. Additional protection is provided through Wildlife Protection Areas, such as Yuwan-dake Wildlife Protection Area, Yanbaru (Ada) Wildlife Protection Area, Yanbaru (Aha) Wildlife Protection Area, Iriomote Wildlife Protection Area, and twenty-four Prefectural Wildlife Protection Areas. The site also includes Natural Monuments, with thirty National Monuments and twenty-two Prefectural Monuments.