of experts for Shirakami-Sanchi, following the similar efforts for Shiretoko and Yakushima, Consequently, all the Japanese sites come to have the same system of knowledge-based conservation and management.

As for the Ogasawara Islands, for which the government submitted a nomination dossier to the World Heritage Center in January 2010, the government collaborated with relevant organizations to accept an on-site investigation by experts from the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, an organization that assesses nominations, and to appropriately respond to requests for additional information. Measures were also considered for conserving the globally important natural value of the domestic candidate Ryukyu Islands (the islands southwest of Tokara Island are subject to review), while obtaining the cooperation of relevant people in the area.

Based on bilateral migratory bird conventions and other frameworks with the United States, Australia, China, Russia, and South Korea, joint research efforts were continued for Short-tailed Albatross, Steller's sea eagle, and the Larus saundersi Gull in order to conserve birds that migrate between the countries. In November 2010 in Niigata Prefecture, meetings of bilateral conventions and agreements and other frameworks for the conservation of migratory birds and their habitats were held with Australia, China, and South Korea. Their information and opinions were exchanged concerning protective policies, studies, and research concerning migratory birds.

In June 2010, the 6th International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) East Asia Regional Workshop was held in Phuket (Thailand), and the ICRI East Asia Regional Strategy on MPA Networks 2010 was formulated. The map of coral reef habitat in the Asian/Oceanic region that was created was made public on the related webpage.

The 9th session of the United Nations Forum on Forests was held from January through February 2011 in New York. Under the theme of “Forests for People, Livelihoods and Poverty Eradication,” consideration was given to assessment of the progress made on implementation of Non-Legally-Binding Instruments on all types of forests, and methods of implementing sustainable forest operations (provision of financing, technology transfers, etc.) At the High-Level Segment held during the forum, an official opening ceremony was held for the International Year of Forests, 2011, and a Ministerial Declaration was adopted clarifying the importance of sustainable forest management and implementation, as well as future efforts for international cooperation.

At the 46th Session of the International Tropical Timber Council (ITTC) that was held in Yokohama in December 2010, projects and activities for promoting development of tropical timber trade and sustainable tropical forest operations were approved. Decisions were also adopted concerning the ITTO's activity report on the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity 2010 and action plans for the International Year of Forests, 2011.

In order to comprehensively assess and analyze the country's state and trends of biodiversity, including social aspects, Japan established the Committee on Comprehensive Assessment of Biodiversity in Japan in FY 2008, and the Committee released a report in May 2010. Further, with the aim of establishing indicators that will be important for assessing the state of achievement of targets in order to prevent loss of biodiversity on national land, the government conducted a review concerning special analysis and assessment methods for the state of and changes in the biodiversity of national land.

As for “The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB),” which are international efforts that conduct economic analysis on loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services, the government provided assistance for the compilation of the Final Report for COP10, and conducted the research on policies related to economic assessment of biodiversity with TEEB.

### 6. Basics for Various Policies, and Measures Related to the Participation of Various Entities and International Cooperation

(1) Government’s Overall Efforts

(a) The environmental conservation expenditures

Regarding the governmental budget relating to environmental conservation, the Ministry of the Environment liaises with each government office and ministry and makes adjustments to their budgets relating to environmental protection, and presents and compiles those budgets into the environmental conservation expenditures to ensure that the government as a whole deploys the environmental protection measures effectively and efficiently. The total amount of expenditures in FY 2011 was JPY 1,209.1 billion.

(b) Check of the subsequent progress of the Basic Environmental Plan

The Central Environment Council reviewed the progress of the implementation of policies based on the Basic Environmental Plan and submitted a report to the government. In the $ 4^{th} $ review of the Third Basic Environmental Plan conducted in 2010, the Council focused on the following five priority fields: 1) efforts for global warming, 2) efforts to ensure material recycling and to establish a sound material cycle society, 3) efforts to reduce environmental risks from chemical substances, 4) efforts for the conservation of biodiversity, and 5) promotion of developing human resources and communities for environmental conservation among the ten priority fields of the Plan. The result was reported by the Central Environment Council Chairman to the Minister of the Environment in October 2010, and the