Dec 28,2021
Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition Chairman, Mr.Tokura
Governor of Osaka Prefecture, Mr.Yoshimura
Mayor of Osaka City, Mr.Matsui
Request for preservation of the natural environment of Yumeshima
1. We request that the overall natural environment be conserved in and around Yumeshima,
an important hotspot for biodiversity in Osaka, both during and after the Expo.
2. As a legacy of the Expo, we request that Yumeshima be registered as a Ramsar Wetland andthat Osaka be designated as an advanced city for SDGs.
Since the submission of the “Requests and Questions Concerning the Conservation ofthe Natural Environment of Yumeshima, a Biodiversity Hotspot” on November 16, 2018, theassociation has submitted requests for protection of little terns and wetlands. I'm here.
However, as far as I read the environmental impact assessment preparations for the OsakaKansai Expo, it is unlikely that the current nature will be maintained.
Although Yumeshima, where the venue is planned, is an artificial island, it is inhabitedby many species designated as endangered species by the "Osaka Prefecture Red List 2014."
It has been rated as an A biodiversity hotspot. In addition, in "Osaka's Biodiversity Hotspots- Places to Meet Diverse Creatures" (Osaka Prefectural Department of Environment,Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, 2016), the area around Yumeshima and Nanko Wild Bird
Park has been identified as a valuable ecosystem. , There are tidal flats and brackish water
areas of rivers, and alternative bare lands and grasslands (reclaimed land). (Ministry of theEnvironment, endangered category II/VU)
Birds such as the Marsh Harrier (Ministry of the Environment's endangered species
IB/EN) and the Gray Marsh Harrier are said to inhabit the area.
In addition, according to our association's survey, the breeding of little terns and blackstilts (Ministry of the Environment's endangered category II/VU) and other breeding,common pochard (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources(IUCN) Type II/VU) have been confirmed. Regarding little terns, in June 2021, the directorof the Osaka Port and Harbor Bureau temporarily suspended land preparation work to
prepare the site for the breeding season for places where groups of terns lay eggs. As for plants,
it has been confirmed that uragiku (Ministry of the Environment Near Threatened/NT),
which grows in salt marshes, and kawatsurumo (Osaka Prefecture Red List Extinct/EX),
which is said to be extinct in Osaka Prefecture.

The objective of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai is to "contribute to the achievement of
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)," and the theme is "Designing Future Society for
Our Lives." . The first of the five features of the basic plan is “a venue where you can feel thesea and the sky”. It can be said that none of these can be realized without preconditioning theprotection of biodiversity, including the birds of Yumeshima.
As a legacy of hosting the Osaka-Kansai Expo, we propose making Yumeshima aregistered wetland under the Ramsar Convention. The common pochard has his 5,000
confirmed arrivals in his 2020 fiscal year, meeting the criteria for a registered wetland. For
the Tokyo 2020 Games (Olympic and Paralympic Games), the shallow water area of Kasai
Seaside Park, which is the reclaimed land in Tokyo Bay where the competition venues and theathletes' village are located, was registered as a wetland under the Ramsar Convention in 2018.
It appealed to people gathering from all over the world that the competition would be held in
close proximity to an international reserve.
I have heard that the Osaka City Planning Bureau will be established in Osaka Pref./City,and plans for the Yumeshima and Sakishima districts will be drawn up. I request that you workwith citizens to formulate a plan that will appeal to the world a future society in which people
and nature coexist in harmony.
Nature Conservation Society of Osaka (NCSO)
Charman,
Yoshihiro Natsuhara