Development and Conservation Issues Relevant to the World Natural Heritage Listing of Amami

概要

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In 1993, Yakushima (Yaku Island) and Shirakami-sanchi (Shirakami Mountain Range) were designated as the first World Natural Heritage Sites in Japan. Ten years later, the Nansei Group of Islands (the Tokara, Amami and Ryukyu ISlands) were listed together with Shiretoko Peninsula (Hokkaido) and the Ogasawara Islands (Tokyo) as candidate sites for new World Natural Heritage listings. Then, in 2005, Shiretoko was designated as the third World Natural Heritage Site in Japan. Subsequently, in 2007, the Ogasawara Islands were added to the interim lists of World Natural Heritage Site in Japan. The Nansei Islands are expected to be designated as World Natural Heritage sites in 2011. People in the Amami Islands have been conducting various activities in support of the nomination. Over the last fifty years, the Japanese government has injected huge amount of money into the Amami Islands as part of a special development and promotional fund, which has brought big controversy between pro-development and anti-development/environmental protection groups. The paper provides a short history of development in Amami and then discusses how the nomination of World Natural Heritage Site relates to the lives and thinking of Amami people over the issue of development vs environment.
2011-03-15