Q . What is The Ramsar Convention?
A . A treaty is an agreement which is made up among countries. The Ramsar Convention is a short form of the treaty's title; The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat. Ramsar is a small city in Iran of the Middle East, on the shore of the Caspian Sea. In this city, the first conference was held in order to promise to agree with the convention. It was more than 30 years ago, in 1971. Though only 18 countries joined the convention at that time, it became 159 countries in 2009.
Japan joined the convention in 1975. It was only the Kushiro Wetland in Hokkaido that was designated. However, 37 wetlands in Japan are designated now. More wetlands will be designated in the future.
The Ramsar Convention Bureau in Switzerland handles routine functions on the Ramsar Convention and prepares the conference.
*Click here to see the explanation for designated wetlands in Japan.
*You can check the countries joining the convention on the map in the web site of the Ramsar Convention Bureau. On the map, green colored countries have joined the convention and yellow colored countries have not joined yet. Click here to see the map!
 
 

The Ramsar Convention is
an agreement among countries
in order to conserve wetlands.


Ramsar Sites in Japan
Ramsar Sites in Japan
1. Sarogetsu-genya (Non-forested peatland, Freshwater lakes)
2. Kutcharo-ko (Freshwater lake)
3. Tofutsu-ko (Brackish lake)
4. Uryunumz-shitsugen (Non-forested peatland)
5. Notsuke-hanto and Notsuke-wan (Shallow marine water, Marine subtidal aquatic beds and Sand shore)
6 .Furen-ko and Shunkuni-tai (Brackish lake, Sand shore, Intertidal marsh and marine subtidal aquatic bed)
7. Akan-ko (Freshwater lake)
8. Kushiro-shitsugen (Freshwater marshes/pools)
9. Akkeshi-ko and Bekambeushi-shitsugen (Coastal brackish lagoon, Brackish marsh and Estuarine water)
10. Kiritappu-shitsugen (Brackish marsh)
11. Miyajima-numa (Freshwater lake)
12. Utonai-ko (Freshwater lake)
13. Hotokenuma (Non-forested peatland)
14. Izu-numa and Uchi-numa (Freshwater lakes)
15. Kabukuri-numa and the surrounding rice paddies (Irrigated land)
16. Sakata (Freshwater lake)
17. Oze (Non-forested peatland)
18. Oku-Nikko-shitsugen (Non-forested peatlands, Freshwater lakes)
19. Yatsu-higata (Intertidal mud flat)
20. Katano-kamoike (Freshwater pool)
21. Fujimae-higata (Intertidal mud flat, Estuarine water and Shallow marine water)
22. Biwa-ko (Freshwater lake)
23. Mikata-goko (Brackish lakes, Freshwater lakes)
24. Kushimoto Coral Communities (Coral reef)
25. Nakaumi (Brackish lake)
26. Shinji-ko (Brackish lake)
27. Akiyoshidai Groundwater System (Karst)
28. Kuju Bogatsuru and Tadewara-shitsugen (Non-forested peatlands)
29. Imuta-ike (Freshwater lake, Non-forested peatland)
30. Yakushima Nagata-hama (Sand shore)
31. Manko (Intertidal mud flat)
32. Kerama-shoto Coral Reef (Coral reef)
33. Nagura amparu (Intertidal sand flat)
34. Oyama Kami-ike and Shimo-ike (Freshwater lakes)
35. Hyo-ko (Water storage area)
36. Kejo-numa (Water storage area) 37. Streams in Kume-jima (Permanent streams)
(34-37: Wetlands newly designated in 2008)

Location of Ramsar and the Convention's Bureau
Location of Ramsar and the Convention's Bureau


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