Japan to propose Kobushi region as UNESCO biosphere reserve

March 8, 2018

Tokyo- The Japanese National Commission for UNESCO has decided to propose the Kobushi mountain region straddling Saitama Prefecture and three neighboring prefectures as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve area.

The commission on Wednesday said it plans to submit an application in September. Whether the region will be added to the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve list will be determined around spring 2019.

The Kobushi region stretches over 12 municipalities in the four prefectures, also including Nagano, Yamanashi and Tokyo. Its main feature is the Okuchichibu mountain range, including Mount Kobushi and Mount Kinpu.

The 190,603-hectare region holds sources of big rivers, namely Arakawa, Tama, Fuefuki and Chikuma. Areas near these rivers are also included in the region.

The region is rich in nature, including precious living creatures such as Luehdorfia puziloi, a butterfly variety, as well as cultural assets including those linked to mountain worship and Shintoism.

UNESCO's Biosphere Reserve program, launched in 1976, is aimed at promoting the coexistence of nature and humans, while a focus of the World Heritage program is the preservation of wild nature.

The current list includes nine Japanese regions, such as the Shiga Highland area straddling Nagano and Gunma prefectures and the island region of Yakushima and Kuchinoerabu in southwestern Japan. Jiji Press