UNESCO · Natural · 2021

Amami-Oshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, 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あまみおおしま、とくのしま、おきなわじまほくぶおよびいりおもてじまAmami-Ōshima, Tokunoshima, Okinawa-jima Hokubu oyobi Iriomote-jima

Island rainforests of rabbits, rails and wild cats found nowhere else

Amami-Oshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, Northern part of Okinawa Island, and Iriomote Island is a natural World Heritage property of subtropical rainforest on four islands of the Ryukyu chain in Kagoshima and Okinawa prefectures. Inscribed in 2021, it protects many endemic and threatened species that evolved in isolation, such as the Amami rabbit, the Okinawa rail and the Iriomote cat.

Inscribed 2021Criteria: xKagoshima Okinawa

Overview

The Ryukyu Islands form an arc of some 1,200 km between Kyushu and Taiwan. Over millions of years, as sea levels changed and the Okinawa Trough opened, the islands were repeatedly joined to and separated from the Eurasian continent and from each other. Animals and plants that reached them evolved in isolation, while their relatives on the mainland died out, leaving species that are both ancient relicts and unique to single islands.

The property protects the best-preserved subtropical evergreen forests on four of these islands: Amami-Oshima and Tokunoshima in Kagoshima Prefecture, the northern part of Okinawa Island known as Yambaru, and Iriomote in the far south-west of Okinawa Prefecture. The forests, dominated by chinquapin (Castanopsis), grow on steep, rain-soaked hills cut by clear streams; on Iriomote they descend to extensive mangroves along the rivers.

The islands' wildlife includes the Amami rabbit, a 'living fossil' with short ears and legs; the flightless Okinawa rail, first described in 1981; the Okinawa woodpecker; and the Iriomote cat, a wildcat discovered in 1965 that lives only on Iriomote. Many of these species are endangered. Introduced mongooses, feral cats, roadkill and development have been the main threats, and eradication programmes, speed limits and road underpasses have been introduced to counter them.

Why it is World Heritage

The property was inscribed under criterion (x) alone. It contains the most important and significant natural habitats for the in-situ conservation of the biological diversity of the Central Ryukyu and Western Ryukyu islands, including many globally threatened species and a high proportion of endemic species, some of which represent ancient lineages with no close living relatives.

The islands' biodiversity, from endemic mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians to freshwater fish and insects, reflects their long history of isolation. At inscription the World Heritage Committee asked Japan to manage visitor numbers on Iriomote, reduce roadkill of rare species, restore rivers and continue controlling invasive species.

Component sites

Amami-Oshima
奄美大島Amami-Ōshima
The largest island of the Amami group, with rainforest centred on Mount Yuwan and the Kinsakubaru forest; home to the Amami rabbit and the Lidth's jay. A long programme to remove introduced mongooses was declared successful in 2024.
Tokunoshima
徳之島Tokunoshima
Island south of Amami-Oshima with two forest areas in its northern and central mountains, the second home of the Amami rabbit and the Tokunoshima spiny rat.
Yambaru (northern Okinawa Island)
やんばるYanbaru
The forested hills of the three northern villages of Okinawa Island, habitat of the Okinawa rail and Okinawa woodpecker; part of the area was returned from a United States military training area in 2016.
Iriomote
西表島Iriomote-jima
Mountainous island near Taiwan, almost entirely covered by forest and mangroves along the Urauchi and Nakama rivers; the only habitat of the Iriomote cat.
Amami rabbit
アマミノクロウサギAmami no Kuro-usagi
A primitive, dark-furred rabbit found only on Amami-Oshima and Tokunoshima, designated a Special Natural Monument.
Iriomote cat
イリオモテヤマネコIriomote Yamaneko
A small wildcat living only on Iriomote, with a population of around a hundred; roadkill is one of the main threats to its survival.

History

1965
The Iriomote cat is discovered.
1972
Iriomote National Park is designated, later expanded as Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park.
1981
The Okinawa rail is described as a new species.
2016
Yambaru National Park is designated; part of the U.S. Northern Training Area is returned.
2017
Amami Gunto National Park is designated.
2018
Japan withdraws its first nomination after the advisory body IUCN recommends deferral.
2021
Inscription on the World Heritage List after a revised nomination.

Visiting

Amami-Oshima and Tokunoshima are reached by air from Kagoshima and other cities or by ferry; Yambaru lies about two hours by road north of Naha; Iriomote is reached by ferry from Ishigaki.
Night drives on designated forest roads offer the chance to see the Amami rabbit; certified guides are recommended, and some roads have entry limits and rules to protect wildlife.
Drivers must keep to low speed limits and watch for rails, rabbits and wildcats crossing, especially at night.
On Iriomote, some popular sites have visitor limits and require licensed guides; information is available from the Ministry of the Environment and the town of Taketomi.
Habu vipers live in the forests of Amami, Tokunoshima and Okinawa; walkers should stay on paths and carry a light at night.

Frequently asked questions

Why is this property only inscribed under criterion (x)?

Its outstanding value lies in biodiversity: the forests are critical habitat for many endemic and threatened species found nowhere else, rather than in scenery or geological features.

Can you see an Iriomote cat?

Sightings are rare. The cat is nocturnal and elusive, with only around a hundred individuals, and visitors are asked not to search for or approach it.

Are Okinawa's famous beaches part of the World Heritage Site?

No. The property covers inland forests on four islands; beaches, coral reefs and the other Ryukyu islands are not included.

Why was the first nomination withdrawn?

In 2018 IUCN found the proposed areas too fragmented and noted that important habitat in northern Okinawa was missing; the revised nomination added the returned U.S. training land and consolidated the boundaries.

Sources

1.Amami-Oshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, Northern part of Okinawa Island, and Iriomote Island (opens in a new tab) — UNESCO World Heritage Centre
2.日本の世界自然遺産 (opens in a new tab) — 環境省
3.奄美群島国立公園 (opens in a new tab) — 環境省