Wildlife Protection Areas in Japan

Wildlife Protection Areas in Japan are established by the Ministry of the Environment and, for areas of more local importance, by the Prefectural Governments in order "to protect and promote the reproduction of birds and mammals" in accordance with the 2002 Wildlife Protection and Hunting Law. The areas established have a maximum duration of twenty years and hunting is prohibited within them. Special Protection Areas are designated within the Wildlife Protection Areas in order to protect habitats and ecosystems.

Classification of wildlife

The wildlife of Japan is classified either as game species or protected species. The former includes thirty species of bird and seventeen of mammal that are considered able to withstand hunting harmful to agriculture and forestry useful for meat or other derivatives. These species include the brown bear, black bear, Japanese deer, Japanese hare, Japanese quail, and Japanese pheasant. Over six hundred species are protected. Insectivorous mammals and rats are excluded from protection since they are considered harmful to agriculture; some marine mammals fall under the alternative jurisdiction of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. While the number of animals hunted is falling with the decline in the number of hunters, the number of birds and mammals "controlled" is rising in relation to damage to crops.

Established Wildlife Protection Areas

As of 1 November 2019, eighty-six Wildlife Protection Areas have been established at a national level, covering an area of, including of Special Protection Areas. As of the same date, 3,639 Wildlife Protection Areas have been established at a prefectural level, covering an area of, including of prefectural Special Protectional Areas. The eighty-six nationally designated areas, divided into the four classes of large habitats, wetland areas, breeding areas, and habitats of rare birds and mammals, are as follows:

Wildlife Protection Area	Designated Name	Image	Prefecture	Coordinates	Area	Established	Class
Daisetsuzan	大雪山鳥獣保護区		Hokkaido		355.34	1992	1
Towada	十和田鳥獣保護区		Aomori, Akita		376.74	1953	1
Shirakami-Sanchi	白神山地鳥獣保護区		Aomori, Akita		171.57	2004	1
Asama	浅間鳥獣保護区		Gunma, Nagano		309.40	1951	1
Hakusan	白山鳥獣保護区		Ishikawa, Gifu		380.61	1969	1
Ōdai Mountains	大台山系鳥獣保護区		Mie, Nara		185.72	1972	1
Tsurugi Mountains	剣山山系鳥獣保護区		Tokushima, Kōchi		118.17	1988	1
Daisen	大山鳥獣保護区		Tottori		51.56	1958	1
Ishizuchi Mountains	石鎚山系鳥獣保護区		Ehime, Kōchi		108.58	1977	1
Kirishima	霧島鳥獣保護区		Miyazaki, Kagoshima		114.33	1978	1
Hamatonbetsu Lake Kutcharo	浜頓別クッチャロ湖鳥獣保護区		Hokkaidō		28.03	1983	2
Sarobetsu	サロベツ鳥獣保護区		Hokkaidō		37.39	1992	2
Lake Tōfutsu	濤沸湖鳥獣保護区		Hokkaidō		20.23	1992	2
Notsuke Peninsula - Notsuke Bay	野付半島・野付湾鳥獣保護区		Hokkaidō		61.46	2005	2
Lake Furen	風蓮湖鳥獣保護区		Hokkaidō		81.39	1993	2
Akkeshi-Bekanbeushi-Kiritappu	厚岸・別寒辺牛・霧多布鳥獣保護区		Hokkaidō		130.64	1993	2
Miyajima-numa	宮島沼鳥獣保護区		Hokkaidō		0.41	1992	2
Lake Utonai	ウトナイ湖鳥獣保護区		Hokkaidō		5.10	1982	2
Kominato	小湊鳥獣保護区		Aomori		45.18	1971	2
Izu-numa	伊豆沼鳥獣保護区		Miyagi		14.55	1982	2
Sendai Seaside	仙台海浜鳥獣保護区		Miyagi		75.96	1987	2
Kabukuri-numa and the surrounding rice paddies	蕪栗沼・周辺水田鳥獣保護区		Miyagi		30.61	2005	2
Kejo-numa	化女沼鳥獣保護区		Miyagi		0.78	2008	2
Mogami River Mouth	最上川河口鳥獣保護区		Yamagata		15.37	2005	2
Ōyama Kamiike-Shimoike	大山上池・下池鳥獣保護区		Yamagata		0.39	2008	2
Fukushimagata	福島潟鳥獣保護区		Niigata		2.31	1974	2
Lake Hyōko	瓢湖鳥獣保護区		Niigata		2.81	2005	2
Sakata Lagoon	佐潟鳥獣保護区		Niigata		2.51	1981	2
Hinuma	涸沼鳥獣保護区		Ibaraki		20.72	2014	2
Watarase Reservoir	渡良瀬遊水地鳥獣保護区		Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Saitama		28.61	2012	2
Kasaioki-Sanmaisu	葛西沖三枚洲鳥獣保護区		Tokyo		3.80	2018	2
Yatsu	谷津鳥獣保護区		Chiba		0.41	1988	2
Katano Kamoike	片野鴨池鳥獣保護区		Ishikawa		0.10	1993	2
Fujimae-higata	藤前干潟鳥獣保護区		Aichi		7.70	2002	2
Hamakōshien	浜甲子園鳥獣保護区		Hyōgo		0.30	1978	2
Nakaumi	中海鳥獣保護区		Tottori, Shimane		86.82	1974	2
Lake Shinji	宍道湖鳥獣保護区		Shimane		78.99	2005	2
Wajiro-higata - Tatara River Mouth	和白干潟・多々良川河口鳥獣保護区		Fukuoka		2.91	2003	2
Higashiyoka-higata	東よか干潟鳥獣保護区		Saga		2.39	2015	2
Hizen Kashima-higata	肥前鹿島干潟鳥獣保護区		Saga		0.67	2015	2
Arao-higata	荒尾干潟鳥獣保護区		Kumamoto		18.23	2012	2
Izumi-Takaono	出水・高尾野鳥獣保護区		Kagoshima		8.42	1987	2
Yagaji	屋我地鳥獣保護区		Okinawa		32.17	1976	2
Lake Man	漫湖鳥獣保護区		Okinawa		1.74	1977	2
Yonaha Bay	与那覇湾鳥獣保護区		Okinawa		13.66	2011	2
Ikema	池間鳥獣保護区		Okinawa		2.82	2011	2
Teuri Island	天売島鳥獣保護区		Hokkaidō		5.51	1982	3
Yururi - Moyururi	ユルリ・モユルリ鳥獣保護区		Hokkaidō		1.99	1982	3
Daikoku Island	大黒島鳥獣保護区		Hokkaidō		1.07	1972	3
Hide Island	日出島鳥獣保護区		Iwate		0.08	1982	3
Sangan Island	三貫島鳥獣保護区		Iwate		0.25	1981	3
Tadanae-jima	祗苗島鳥獣保護区		Tokyo		5.93	2010	3
Ōnohara-jima	大野原島鳥獣保護区		Tokyo		5.46	2010	3
Nishinoshima	西之島鳥獣保護区		Tokyo		0.29	2008	3
North Iwo Jima	北硫黄島鳥獣保護区		Tokyo		8.60	2009	3
Minamitorishima	南鳥島鳥獣保護区		Tokyo		3.95	2009	3
Nanatsu-jima	七ツ島鳥獣保護区		Ishikawa		0.24	1973	3
Kiinagashima	紀伊長島鳥獣保護区		Mie		61.31	1969	3
Kanmurijima - Kutsujima	冠島・沓島鳥獣保護区		Kyoto		13.00	2010	3
Kakui Island	鹿久居島鳥獣保護区		Okayama		6.62	1953	3
Okinoshima	沖ノ島鳥獣保護区		Fukuoka		0.97	1984	3
Danjo Islands	男女群島鳥獣保護区		Nagasaki		4.16	1973	3
Birōjima	枇榔島鳥獣保護区		Miyazaki		4.82	2010	3
Kusagaki-jima	草垣島鳥獣保護区		Kagoshima		0.21	1973	3
Nakanokami Island	仲の神島鳥獣保護区		Okinawa		0.18	1981	3
Shiretoko	知床鳥獣保護区		Hokkaidō		440.53	1982	4
Kushiro Shitsugen	釧路湿原鳥獣保護区		Hokkaidō		172.41	1958	4
Western Shimokita	下北西部鳥獣保護区		Aomori		49.14	1984	4
Hotokenuma	仏沼鳥獣保護区		Aomori		7.37	2005	4
Ōgata Grasslands	大潟草原鳥獣保護区		Akita		1.50	1977	4
Mount Moriyoshi	森吉山鳥獣保護区		Akita		65.98	1973	4
Ōshima Asahi	大鳥朝日鳥獣保護区		Yamagata, Niigata		382.85	1984	4
Tori-shima	鳥島鳥獣保護区		Tokyo		4.79	1954	4
Ogasawara	小笠原群島鳥獣保護区		Tokyo		200.65	1980	4
Eastern Sado	小佐渡東部鳥獣保護区		Niigata		129.19	1982	4
Northern Alps	北アルプス鳥獣保護区		Toyama, Nagano, Gifu		1,099.89	1984	4
Maruyama River Basin	円山川下流域鳥獣保護区		Hyōgo		10.84	2012	4
Ina	伊奈鳥獣保護区		Nagasaki		11.73	1988	4
Shūshinouchi	舟志ノ内鳥獣保護区		Nagasaki		3.40	2015	4
Mount Yuwan	湯湾岳鳥獣保護区		Kagoshima		3.20	1965	4
Nagura-Anparu	名蔵アンパル鳥獣保護区		Okinawa		11.45	2003	4
Yanbaru	やんばる（安田）鳥獣保護区		Okinawa		12.79	2009	4
Yanbaru	やんばる（安波）鳥獣保護区		Okinawa		4.65	2009	4
Daitō Islands	大東諸島鳥獣保護区		Okinawa		42.51	2004	4
Yonaguni	与那国鳥獣保護区		Okinawa		10.40	2010	4
Iriomote	西表鳥獣保護区		Okinawa		102.18	1992	4

Complementary measures

Wildlife Protection Areas are just one element in a network of complementary protected area systems. Others include Wilderness Areas and Nature Conservation Areas under the Nature Conservation Law; Natural Parks under the Natural Parks Law; Natural Habitat Conservation Areas under the Law for the Conservation of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora; Natural Monuments and Special Natural Monuments under the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties 1950; Protected Forests under the National Forest Management Bylaw; and Protected Waters under the Preservation of Fisheries Resources Law. Areas are also protected in accordance with three international programmes: the World Heritage Convention ; Man and the Biosphere Programme ; and the Ramsar Convention.