Figure 3-3-22 Number of Visitors to the Toyooka Municipal Museum of the Oriental White Storks

Source : Compiled by the Ministry of the Environment from the data of Toyooka city

Photo3-3-5 Oriental White Stork Pecking Food in a Rice Field

Source : Toyooka city

FY2007, about 12,000 of Yezo sika deer were slaughtered. In Misato town, Shimane prefecture, the recycling of wild boar meat has been promoted since 2000 with the town's leadership. They have established a community brand,

Figure3-3-23 Changes of the Number of Deer and Wild Boars Captured Nationwide

Source : Ministry of the Environment

“Oochiyamakujira”—meat produced from captured wild boars—and are selling foods, such as processed foods and pet foods, by establishing a processing system from capturing to meatpacking. As for the efficient use of alien species, efforts to control largemouth bass and blue gills are conducted in each region. In some regions, where the controlled amount is huge, several hundred tons of culled alien species are disposed of annually in landfills. Usage of such as fertilizers and feeds will reduce the amount of fertilizers and feeds from outside the region, leading to approaches to prevent the water area from eutrophication. In Shiga prefecture, about 440 to 570 tons of fish of foreign origins in Lake Biwa have been exterminated annually since FY2002. These are used as food for human consumption, or in a variety of other ways such as being processed into fish meal.

## Conclusion Incorporate Japan’s Economy into the Sound Global Environment

With the objective of forming a sustainable society, it is important for various entities to collaborate and to exercise their ingenuity in a variety of ways. Measures to be approached should not be limited to environmental measures, but also should be pursued to integrate economic and social values together.

By continuing the steadily approaches to improve the environment, the quality of our lives will be enhanced, while a complete sound climate and eco system will be maintained, leading to a lean society. In order to realize this, we should recognize again that the earth is dependent on limited systems, and should build up the human economy that permanently exists in the earth's huge material circulation, energy flow and the sound eco system.

The principles of economic activities are to properly distribute resources and products, etc., to the individuals who require them. These activities are exactly what will provide additional values for all, and will work out while co-existing with the environment. That is to say, our economic activities should be proactively maintained even under strict environmental limitations. On the other hand, although we have recognized that the earth is dependent on limited systems, we have been burdening the environment through our economic activities due to its large acceptance capacity. However, should we continue using the environment without understanding its value before it has internalized, its value will be lost. To realize economic activities, co-existing with the environment, it is essential to move on to a new type of economy in which environmental measures are incorporated.

We are committed to being the steward of the earth for the children of 100 years from now. Now is the time to combine wisdom and power, so that future generations can live on the earth in peace, and that they will say that the human beings of the early 21st century made the right choice. Japan has been nurturing a culture of not wasting resources through the ages. This can be seen from our stances, such as using various resources and our attitude to try to carry out agriculture, forestry and fisheries sustainably, without using up all of nature's blessings. We consider that human beings can continue to survive by recognizing such philosophies again, by properly reflecting the environmental values in the economy, and by making steady approaches to improve the environment.

In 2008, the world has faced an unprecedented economic crisis, and remains in a serious situation. However, this once in 100 years depression is a golden opportunity for Japan to express its presence in the world. It is time for Japan to mobilize all its wisdom and human resources for environmental measures and technologies, and to lead the global value by quickly creating a society in which the environment and economy will sustainably develop.