Sea ice, with the Shiretoko mountain range in the backgroundphoto by Shiretoko Nature Foundation

2. Justification for Inscription
2a. Statement of significance2c. Criteria under which inscription is proposed andjustification
2d. Integrity

Justification
for Inscription

2b. Comparative analysis with other World Heritage sites

2a. Statement of significanceShiretoko is an outstanding example of an integrated ecosystem
displaying the interrelationship between a terrestrial ecosystem and acontig uous marine e co system with unique seas onal sea ice
characteristics. Shiretoko maintains pristine forests in the terrestrial
ecosystem while its marine ecosystem is greatly diverse and rich. Many
steep rivers connect these two ecosystems. The sea ice is the origin of
the dynamic link between the ecosystems of the sea, rivers and forests.
Sea ice provides a suitable habitat for a group of phytoplankton called ice
algae. When the ice melts, ice algae and other phytoplankton proliferate
explosively (“blooms”). Shiretoko Peninsula lies at the lowest latitude
among the world’s seasonal sea ice areas, and because the ice melts
earlier, blooms of phytoplankton occur earlier in spring than other sea
ice areas. These earlier blooms bring abundant zooplankton. Many
fishes such as salmon and cod feed upon the abundant planktons and, inturn, become an important food source for the terrestrial animals. The
blooms of phytoplankton support the abundance and diversity of themarine life in Shiretoko.

Sea ice, with the Shiretoko mountain range in the background photo by MURATA Ryosuke

Justification
for Inscription

Also on land, Shiretoko contains a diverse fauna and flora because thecomplex topography and the differences in weather conditions between
the east and west sides of the Shiretoko Peninsula create a variety ofhabitats. Various types of virgin vegetation cover from the coastline tothe mountain peaks, including Viola kitamiana which is endemic to theShiretoko Peninsula. The density of brown bear Ursus arctos populationis among the highest in the world due to the abundance of food anddiverse habitats. Further, Shiretoko is an important breeding or
wintering site for globally threatened bird species such as Blakiston’s
fish-owl Ketupa blakistoni (listed as “Endangered” on IUCN Red List of
threatened species: EN, IUCN Red List), Steller’s sea eagle Haliaeetus
pelagicus (“Vulnerable” on IUCN Red List: VU, IUCN Red List) andwhite-tailed eagle H. albicilla (“Lower Risk” on IUCN Red List: LR,
IUCN Red List). All these animals are vitally dependent upon both themarine and terrestrial ecosystems.

13

2004 WORLD HERITAGE LIST NOMINATION ● JAPAN

Shiretoko features a unique composition and distribution of species suchas the coexistence of northern and southern species. Northern species
such as the brown bear and southern species such as the sika deer
Cervus nippon share the habitat on land. While in the ocean, fishes andseaweeds are mixture of a wide variety of northern and southern
species, reflecting the effect of the Soya Current which is the only warm
current in the Sea of Okhotsk.
Shiretoko has outstanding natural beauty with its landscape andseascape changing dramatically with the four seasons. Especially, thesea ice scenery is always changing in winter, and the diverse forests
cover the area with beautiful colors in autumn. High sea cliffs andvarious wildlife species add aesthetic attractions to the site. Shiretoko
also has superlative natural phenomena, like the volcanic peak of Mt. Iou
which is world renowned for erupting large amounts of highly puremolten sulfur.

Brown bear Ursus arctos
photo by KURASAWA Eiichi

Justification
for Inscription

2b. Comparative analysis withother World Heritage sites
Shiretoko is one of the few areas in Japan where a virgin natural coastal
and forest environment has been preserved. The area includes one of theJapan’s five Wilderness Areas (IUCN category Ia protected area) that aredesignated to preserve virgin nature in Japan. Located within thenominated site, the Onnebetsudake Wilderness Area is the largest
Wilderness Area in Japan and it has been extensively studied in various
scientific fields. In addition, most of the terrestrial part of the nominatedsite is designated as the Shiretoko Forest Ecosystem Reserve (IUCN
category Ib protected area) and approximately 90 percent of the landarea is covered by natural vegetation. The high proportion of virginforest is equal to the level in the Shirakami-sanchi World Heritage Area.
Further, most of the nominated site including marine area is conserved
as Shiretoko National Park (IUCN category II protected area).
There are two natural World Heritage sites in Japan, Yakushima andShirakami-sanchi. Yakushima was inscribed under criteria (ii) and (iii)
for its warm-temperate evergreen forest ecosystem, especially its
ancient sugi (Japanese cedar) and its magnificent natural landscape,while Shirakami-sanchi was inscribed under criterion (ii) for its virgin
beech forest ecosystem. However, unlike these two properties, thenominated site is situated within the Udvardy’s “Manchu-Japan mixed
forest” biogeographic province, and it features more northern species
and is unique because of its marine ecosystem influenced by sea ice.

Yakushima World Natural
Heritage site
photo by JWRC

Shirakami-Sanchi World
Natural Heritage site
photo by JWRC

14

From the global point of view, there are 11 other natural World Heritage
sites (nine in the Palaearctic Realm, two in the Nearctic Realm) that lie
within the same “Temperate broad-leaved forests or woodlands, andsubpolar deciduous thickets” biome of Udvardy. However, the nominatedsite is characterized by a unique natural environment which ismaintained by the interaction of both the sea and forest; among theabove 11 sites, only two sites in Russia- Sikhote-Alin and the Volcanoesof Kamchatka- comprise both forests and coasts. In addition, at similar
latitudes as the nominated site, three other natural World Heritage sites

Table 2-1 World Natural Heritage sites containing forests and coasts in higher latitudes
Country

Site Name

Year of Inscription

Criteria

Latitude

RussiaCentral Sikhote-Alin

2001

N(iv)

RussiaVolcanoes of Kamchatka

1996/2001

N(i), (ii), (iii), (iv) 52° - 56°N

U.S.A.

Redwood National Park

1980

N(ii), (iii)

Canada/ Kluane/Wrangell-St Elias/
1979/1992/1994 N(ii), (iii), (iv)
U.S.A.
Glacier Bay/Tatshenshini-Alsek
New
Zealand

Te Wahipounamu - South-West
1986/1990
New Zealand

44°48' - 47°18'N

Altitude (m) Area size (ha)0-1,900

406,200

0-3,6213,670,000

41° 04' - 41°49'N 0-950

56,90058° 10' - 62°45'N 0-5,950

9,839,100N(i), (ii), (iii), (iv) 43° 00' - 46° 30'S 0-3,764

2,600,000

Shiretoko: Latitude 43° 56' 58'' - 44° 21' 08'' N (centered on 44° N), Altitude 0 - 1,661m. Area size 56,100 ha

contain both forests and coasts. These total of five sites are situated in
Russia (two sites), North America (two sites) and Oceania (one site)(Table 2-1). Although the nominated site is smaller in scale compared tothe other listed sites, the diversity of the species in the Shiretoko area iscomparable or superior to other sites and the ecosystem is outstandingly
distinctive.

Justification
for Inscription

The Central Sikhote-Alin is the only World Natural Heritage site that is
located in the same “Manchu-Japan mixed forest” biogeographic
province. This site is characterized by its diverse Ussuri taiga
ecosystem which is the most important habitat for the endangered
Amur tiger. Compared to the Central Sikhote-Alin, the mixed forest of
the nominated site has a higher volume of deciduous broad-leaved trees.
The Central Sikhote-Alin also includes coastal forests and a small
marine zone of 2,900 hectares extending out one kilometer from thecoastline, however, there is no sea ice along the Sikhote-Alin coastal
region. In the nominated Shiretoko site, there are 28 species of marine
mammals and more than 200 species of marine fishes recorded and themarine ecosystem is far more diverse than the Central Sikhote-Alin. In
addition, the nominated site offers clear evidence of the interaction
between the forest ecosystems and the ocean.
The Volcanoes of Kamchatka site was inscribed on the list for its wide
variety of volcanic phenomena as well as its biodiversity. The site
contains a diverse range of wildlife and especially the variety ofsalmonid fish exceeds the level found in the nominated site. However,Shiretoko has 35 species of terrestrial mammals and 264 species of birds
compared to the 33 species and 145 species recorded in the Volcanoes ofKamchatka. Therefore, the number and diversity of birds at thenominated site exceed the Volcanoes of Kamchatka. In addition, there
are some concerns that in Kamchatka, volcanic matter is contaminating
the rivers where salmon spawn. The Kamchatka Peninsula is also
located at the eastern margin of the Sea of Okhotsk but sea ice rarely
approaches its western coastline because of the current of warmer
waters. Seasonal ice is formed by the special conditions of the Sea of
Okhotsk and the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula (where theWorld Heritage site faces) usually does not have sea ice.
The latitude of the nominated site is the lowest in the world amongseasonal sea ice areas and the ecosystem with sea ice together withsouthern species is not observed in Volcanoes of Kamchatka.
15

2004 WORLD HERITAGE LIST NOMINATION ● JAPANThe Redwood National Park is forested area situated along the Pacific
Coast of North America. With high annual rainfall, the park ischaracterized by virgin temperate rainforests mainly consisting ofgigantic conifers. Its climate and vegetation is very different from thenominated site. In addition, Redwood National Park is not influenced bysea ice.
Kluane/Wrangell-St Elias/Glacier Bay/Tatshenshini-Alsek is situatedin much higher latitudes and includes the widest range of altitudes
among the five world heritage sites mentioned here. The site is a
mountainous region containing tundra, forests, glaciers and a longcoastline. Similar to the Volcanoes of Kamchatka, the fauna and flora
mainly consists of northern species and there is less diversity in
mammal and bird species in this site. Therefore, with regard to biota, it
is different from that of the nominated site which contains southern aswell as northern species. This site has glaciers and icebergs, but does nothave periodic sea ice, and its marine ecosystem is not influenced by sea
ice.

Justification
for Inscription

Lastly, the Te Wahipounamu-South-West New Zealand in the southernhemisphere contains impressive fjord landscapes formed by glaciers
which extended to the sea; it also has a high proportion of endemic plant,
bird and reptile species. The unique Gondwana biota of this site iscompletely different from that of Shiretoko. In addition, as there is no sea
ice along the Fiordland coast, it is not comparable to the nominated site.
As indicated by the above comparisons, because of its uniquetopographical condition and geographical location, the nominated site isquite different from other World Heritage sites in similar mountainous
maritime environments and latitudes. It is a unique natural environment,
an outstanding and precious area in the world.

2c. Criteria under which inscription
is proposed and justification
The nominated site meets criteria (ii), (iii) and (iv) for the inclusion ofnatural properties in the World Heritage List set out in the Operational
Guidelines 44(a) as indicated below:

Criterion (ii)
Shiretoko is an outstanding example of an ecosystem with high levels of
biological activity facilitated by seasonal sea ice and of the interaction
among sea, rivers and forests.
Sea ice accelerates the nutritional circulation in the ocean and provides astable temperature and ample light, creating a suitable habitat for ice
algae (a group of phytoplankton mainly consisting of diatoms). Because
Shiretoko is located at the lowest latitude in the world where seasonalsea ice occurs, the ice melts earlier than other sea ice areas, and bloomsof phytoplankton occur earlier and create a longer period of food supply
for the marine wildlife. This food resource plays an important role in the16A flock of short-tailed shearwater Puffinus tenuirostris photo by Shiretoko Museum

There are about 44 small and large rivers in the nominated site that link
the forest and sea. Seventy percent of the fish species in the rivers of thenominated site need to spend a part of their life stage in the ocean andtherefore, are dependent on an environment that is seamlessly linked tothe sea. In addition, established riparian forest provides a favorable
habitat for fish such as dolly varden Salvelinus malma. The salmon andtrout that swim upstream to spawn are a food source for fish-eating birds
such as Blakiston’s fish-owl and terrestrial mammals such as brown
bears and red foxes Vulpes vulpes schrencki. The river ecosystem in thenominated site provides a habitat for fish species that require a link tothe sea and also plays an important role in the circulation of substances
between the two separate ecosystems in the sea and forest.

Justification
for Inscription

life cycle of the marine wildlife in the nominated site. For example, thepeak spawning season for walleye pollack Theragra chalcogramma isfrom March to May and the fry hatch one month later. This coincides
with the bloom of phytoplankton and the corresponding increase of
zooplankton. The fry feed and grow upon the rich food source(zooplankton) supplied by the sea ice during an important phase of theirlife cycle. Spring is also the season for chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta
fry to swim downstream into the open sea and they feed upon
zooplankton abundant during this period. It has been observed that thefry follow the melting sea ice to higher latitudes as they feed upon thisfood resource. Seals, such as the larga seal Phoca largha, mate and givebirth on the sea ice along the coastal waters of the Shiretoko Peninsula.
The pups that are weaned in spring utilize the high levels of
zooplankton which appear during the ice melting period. A large
number of seabirds such as the short-tailed shearwater Puffinus
tenuirostris, and whales, arrive in the waters surrounding the Shiretoko
Peninsula to feed upon the abundant zooplankton during spring andsummer. Therefore, the sea ice provides an abundant and nutritious foodresource for these animals. As these facts indicate, the nominated site
represents a rich marine ecosystem which reflects the characteristics ofthe seasonal sea ice area.

Marine ecosystem with great biological diversity along the coast of
the Shiretoko Peninsula photo by KURASAWA Eiichi

17

2004 WORLD HERITAGE LIST NOMINATION ● JAPANThe virgin forest provides a diverse habitat and abundant food source
for a large number of wildlife. The food source of the brown bear of
Shiretoko is one of the examples of the linkage between the sea, rivers
and forests. In addition, the virgin forests play a role in supporting therich marine ecosystem by supplying nutrients to the rivers and by
preventing soil erosion.
As described above, the nominated site represents an interactive
ecosystem that consists of bountiful sea and forests that are linked byrivers. The nutrients supplied by the sea ice results in blooms ofphytoplankton which are the base of a dynamic food chain that
integrates the ecosystems of the sea, river and forest. The nominatedsite is an outstanding example that represents the mechanism andimportance of such integrated ecosystems, and therefore fulfills
criterion (ii).

Criterion (iii)

Justification
for Inscription

The nominated site has a range of natural landscapes that vary witheach season. In winter, the sea changes her face dramatically. The blue
ocean can change into a white ice field overnight, or soft flakes offloating ice turned into a vast solid ice field, and vice versa. On land,
there are bands of different vegetation from the coastal vegetation on
the shore to the mountain peaks. In autumn, the forest becomes acolorful mosaic of changing deciduous broad-leaved trees interspersedwith evergreen conifers.
Along the unique and scenic coastline, there are sea cliffs and curious
rock formations that are the result of volcanic activities, erosion by sea
ice and other factors. Over the extensive passage of time fromprehistoric days to today, sea cliffs of rare beauty more than 100 meters
high have been created by waves and sea ice erosion. Curious rockformations created by uneven erosion form a unique coastline. The Ainu

Shiretoko-goko lakes and Shiretoko mountain range photo by MACHIDA Yasuyoshi

18

The beautiful colors of the leaves of the Shiretoko mountain range
photo by ISII Eiji

people who once inhabited the nominated site made use of these rocks aslandmarks while they fished on boats. The rocks were also used asplaces to pray to their gods for good catches and safety. As a result, many
Ainu place names still remain for these locations.
Another natural attraction of the nominated site is the opportunity toview various species of wildlife throughout the year. For example, seals
and other marine mammals can be observed when the sea is covered
with ice. In summer, many colonies of seabirds can be observed on thesea cliffs. In autumn, visitors can watch schools of salmon and trout
swimming upstream and the brown bears that catch them.
Mt. Iou extrudes large amounts of highly pure molten sulfur and uniquenatural phenomena have been observed there. Since the 1800s, there
have been at least four eruptions and the most recent one was in 1936.
Although there have been no eruptions since then, various volcanic
activities such as fumaroles and hot springs can still be observed and theformer sulfur-mining site is a historic relic of those days.

Alpine meadow on Mt.Iou: Primula cuneifolia andGeum pentapetalum
photo by Ministry of the Environment

Justification
for Inscription

Accordingly, the nominated site is an area of incomparable natural
beauty and therefore, meets criterion (iii).

Criterion (iv)
The Shiretoko Peninsula juts out into the Sea of Okhotsk and the Shiretoko
mountain range runs along the center of the peninsula. This results indifferences in precipitation and temperature between the east and west
sides of the peninsula that create a diverse range of natural environments
within the nominated site. From the coastline to the mountain peaks 1,600
meters high, there is a clear vertical distribution of plants ranging throughcoastal vegetation, mixed forest, Erman’s birch Betula ermanii forest to
Japanese stone pine Pinus pumila zone – all of which are habitats andbreeding grounds for many types of wildlife.
For example, Shiretoko has one of the highest population densities ofbrown bears in the world. Brown bears feed upon herbaceous plants
growing on the coastal slopes in spring and upon tall herbaceous plants
and ants in summer. In autumn, they consume the bounty of the forest
including nuts such as acorns and seeds of Japanese stone pine. The
bountiful sea is also another important food source during this season as
the bears catch the salmon and trout that swim upstream to spawn.
There are more than 90 varieties of food items for the bears. This is
more than double the 40 varieties available for the inland brown bear of
North America. These diverse food resources as well as diverse habitats
support their high density.
There are many species of birds inhabiting the coastal area of thenominated site. The well-developed sea cliffs on the Sea of Okhotsk sideof the peninsula are covered with colonies of seabirds. In particular, thenumber of Japanese cormorant Phalacrocorax capillatus nests has been
known to reach 690, which is one of the largest in the Far East. The
nominated site is also an important stopover point for migratory birds
and several thousands of short-tailed shearwaters can be seen during
migration.
19

2004 WORLD HERITAGE LIST NOMINATION ● JAPANFurther, although Shiretoko is geographically located in the temperatezone, the sea is seasonally covered by ice and this peculiarity results in aunique coexistence of northern and southern species.
Among the terrestrial flora, the alpine flora is mainly based on northern
species that arrived via the Kuril Islands or Sakhalin during the ice age.
But the forest flora consists primarily of southern species such as
Katsura tree Cercidiphyllum japonicum (LR, IUCN Red List). Terrestrial
mammals include northern species such as the brown bear and southern
species such as the sika deer.

Justification
for Inscription

The marine ecosystem around Shiretoko also contains both northernand southern species due to the warm Soya Current in the summer andthe cold East Sakhalin Current in the winter. For example, there arevarious southern as well as northern species of seaweed. The marine
fishes consist mainly of northern species such as halibut Hippoglossus
stenolepis and wolffish Anarhichas orientalis ; however, there are anumber of southern species typical of tropical and subtropical oceanssuch as balloon porcupinefish Diodon holocanthus, striped beakperch
Oplegnathus fasciatus and ocean sunfish Mola mola. Therefore, themarine fauna and flora of Shiretoko is unique among those in the Sea of
Okhotsk.
Shiretoko is an essential breeding and/or wintering habitats for anumber of globally threatened bird species.
The Blakiston’s fish-owl is one of the largest owls in the world. For asubspecies of Blakiston’s fish-owl, Ketupa blakistoni blakistoni,
Shiretoko is an essential breeding site. There are only some 200
individuals of this subspecies in the world and more than half of the total
population is found in the Hokkaido area around the Shiretoko
Peninsula. The virgin forest of Shiretoko provides giant trees withcavities that serve as nesting places, and this forest and river habitat ofShiretoko ensures the survival of Ketupa blakistoni blakistoni.
Having a limited distribution, the Steller’s sea eagle is an internationallythreatened species with a global population of approximately 5,000.
More than 2,000 Steller’s sea eagles winter at the Shiretoko Peninsula
where the nominated site locates. The Shiretoko Peninsula is the largest
wintering site for Steller’s sea eagles, large enough to enable more thanhalf of the global population to pass the severe winters.

Blakiston’s fish-owl Ketupa blakistoni blakistoni
photo by ISII Eiji

20

Recently, breeding behavior and juvenile birds of long-billed murrelet
Brachyramphus marmoratus perdix, a subspecies of marbled murrelet B.
marmoratus (VU, IUCN Red List), have been observed at the nominatedsite, which suggests that the bird is now breeding in this area. This
species usually spends its life on the ocean but nests in the treetops oftall inland forests. The breeding of this species is a good indicator of thewell-maintained forests as well as marine environment. There have only
been sparse reports of its breeding sites in Sakhalin and Kuril Islands
and it is assumed that the total population is declining. Therefore, it ishighly probable that the well-protected virgin forest in Shiretoko is a
precious breeding site for this species.

Steller’s sea eagle Haliaeetus pelagicus photo by Ministry of the Environment

Returning salmon photo by Ministry of the Environment

Justification
for Inscription

Therefore, the nominated site contains the most important andsignificant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of this biologicaldiversity, and meets criterion (iv).

2d. Integrity
As described below, the nominated site fulfills the conditions of integrity(Operational Guidelines 44(b) (ii) to (vii)) for the inclusion of naturalproperties in the World Heritage List.
In the ocean surrounding the nominated site, the marine ecosystem
reflects the characteristics of the seasonal sea ice and is highly
productive. While on land from the coastline to the mountain peaks,
there are bands of different vegetation covering the area and they are
maintained in pristine condition. Many steep rivers play a key role inlinking the marine and terrestrial ecosystems.
Although about half of the rivers in Shiretoko Peninsula have small
dams along their flow, that are required to prevent the earth and sandfrom flowing down, only nine of 44 rivers (20.5%) in the nominated site,
mainly along Rausu river, have artificial modification. The impact ofthese constructions on salmon is not clear yet, and is going to beinvestigated.
Each of the above ecosystems is an essential element of the whole
integrated ecosystem processes linking the forest, river and sea. In
addition, all of the protected terrestrial and marine ecosystems are of
sufficient size (48,700 ha and 7,400 ha respectively) to ensure the longterm conservation of the ecosystem and the biological diversity they
contain. The nominated site embraces all of the above areas andtherefore, fulfills the condition of integrity 44 (b)(ii).

21

2004 WORLD HERITAGE LIST NOMINATION ● JAPANApproximately 90 percent of the terrestrial part of the nominated site iscovered by natural vegetation and the site is essential in the long-termpreservation of the aesthetic value of the Shiretoko Peninsula. Because
the site includes ocean, coast, forest and mountains that are essential for
maintaining the beauty of the Shiretoko Peninsula, it fulfills thecondition of integrity 44(b)(iii).

Justification
for Inscription

The nominated site is an extremely important breeding site for the
globally threatened Blakiston’s fish-owl and white-tailed eagle as well asa wintering site for Steller’s sea eagle. It is also a highly concentrated
habitat and breeding sites for seabirds such as the Japanese cormorantand slaty-backed gull Larus schistisagus. Because of these characteristics,
BirdLife International has identified Shiretoko as a candidate area for
Important Bird Areas (IBA) of Asia, which is under preparation. In
addition, the World Wild Fund for Nature (WWF) has recognized“Okhotsk Sea (Ecoregion 204)” which includes the nominated site as oneof the richest North Temperate marine ecosystems in the world. It has
been designated as one of the “Global 200”, the global ranking of the
Earth’s most biologically outstanding habitats. These facts confirm thatthe nominated site contains habitats for maintaining the most diverse
fauna and flora characteristic of the maritime North Pacific andtherefore, the site fulfills the condition of integrity 44(b)(iv).
The terrestrial component of the nominated site is properly managed
under plans such as the conservation plan for the Wilderness Area andthe park plan for the National Park. The marine component of the site is
managed under the park plan for the National Park, which controls
large-scale developments in the area but allows sustainable fisheries
activities.
To ensure adequate and efficient conservation and management of
Shiretoko as well as sustainable use of some natural resources, a regional
liaison committee was established in October 2003 for the purpose of
facilitating co-ordination among multiple management agencies. The
members of the committee are Ministry of the Environment, Forestry
Agency, Hokkaido prefecture, Shari town and Rausu town, and fishermen’s
associations and tourism associations as observers. An integrated
management plan for the nominated site was discussed in thecommittee, and was finalized in December 2003. Therefore, thenominated site fulfills the condition of integrity 44(b)(v).
The nominated site has adequate long-term protection through domestic
legislation covering multiple protected areas (i.e. Onnebetsudake
Wilderness Area, Shiretoko National Park, Shiretoko Forest Ecosystem
Reserve and Shiretoko National Wildlife Protection Area). These
protected areas fulfill the spatial requirements for the nominated site.
Therefore, the nominated site fulfills the condition of integrity 44(b)(vi).

Sea cliffs photo by Ministry of the Environment22

As described above, the nominated site contains an integrated ecosystem
consisting of terrestrial, marine and river ecosystems and it is one of themost important sites for the conservation of the biological diversity ofmaritime temperate North Asia. Therefore, the site fulfills the conditionof integrity 44(b)(vii).

Integrated ecosystem
in Shiretoko23