biodiversity and then act accordingly to mitigate burdens on biodiversity in their daily life. A public opinion survey conducted by the Cabinet Office in 2009 found that the recognition of the term biodiversity (the ratio of respondents who said they “have heard of it” or “know the meaning of it”) was a relatively low 36.4%. The rate of recognition was a little higher than 30.2% in a similar survey conducted by the Ministry of the Environment five years ago in 2004, but we need to continue to strive to increase the recognition of the term (Figure 3-4-10).

COP10 will be the first massive-scale international conference on biodiversity to be held in Japan. Since the third conference of the contracting parties to the Framework Convention on Climate Change was held in Kyoto in 1997, the recognition and efforts to cope with global warming issues at home have made great strides. COP10 of the Convention on Biological Diversity will also provide a great opportunity to enhance the recognition of biodiversity and to promote the

mainstreaming of biodiversity in our society.

The Ministry of the Environment established the National Committee for IYB in January 2010. The government will consider commemorative events and activities at the "Committee on Life on Earth," created under the National Committee and consisting of scholars, business leaders, media people, cultural figures and NGO representatives (Figure 3-4-11). Based on the Committee's deliberation, we will establish "individual project teams" for implementing a variety of individual projects such as commemorative events to mark the International Year of Biodiversity and the International Day of Biodiversity. In order to promote the mainstreaming of biodiversity more efficiently, we will also register organizations carrying out related projects voluntarily and organizations supporting and cooperating with related activities as "Life on Earth Supporters" to create more broad-based campaign.

## 4 Wisdom and Spirit of Natural Symbiosis Spreading to the World

For the conservation of biodiversity, the role of secondary nature formed and maintained through human activities such as agriculture and forestry operations over long years is as important nature maintained in its protozoa (protist) shape. However, this secondary form of nature, together with ecosystem services that can be derived from it, is under threat to its sustainability or has already been lost in some areas, due to a string of events in recent years, including urbanization, industrial development, sharp changes in rural populations and the aging of society. These areas exist across the world. These areas, including muyong, uma and payoh in the Philippines, mauel in Korea, dehesa in Spain, terroirs in France, chitemene in Malawi and Zambia, and satochisatoyama (community-based forest areas and the surrounding countryside) in Japan, have varied characteristics depending on regional climate, geological formation, cultures and socioeconomic and other conditions. In order to proceed with the conservation of biodiversity and its sustainable use, it is important to realize a society of natural symbiosis by taking measures corresponding to their respective regional characteristics while recognizing the value of secondary nature and sharing the importance of seeking to maintain and conserve it on a global scale.

More specifically, effective ways to do this include the global sharing and mutual analyses of methods of sustainable use and management of biological resources in respective regions, capacity-building of relevant parties through cooperation among local governments, international institutions and NGOs, and implementation of bilateral and multilateral official development assistance (ODA) projects, in accordance with the existing principles of the conservation of biodiversity and its sustainable use. Japan has proposed this approach as the Satoyama Initiative. Seizing the occasion to host COP10, Japan plans to promote this approach by calling for stronger international cooperation and increased efforts, including the launch of the partnership with the participation of various stakeholders (Figure 3-4-12).

At home, meanwhile, Japan is exerting the following efforts as part of projects to promote the Satoyama Initiative: