Figure 2-2-4 World Distribution of Amphibian Species

Approximately 6,400 species of amphibians have been confirmed in the world, and many of them are distributed mainly in tropical areas (figure on the left). Although the number of species of amphibians that inhabit Japan is less than in countries in such areas, Japan is characterized by having many endemic species (table on the right).

Rank	Country	Endemic species/inhabiting species (%)
1	Jamaica	100
2	Seychelles	100
3	Sao Tome and Principe	100
4	New Zealand	100
5	Fiji	100
6	Palau	100
7	Madagascar	99
8	Cuba	96
9	Australia	93
10	Sri Lanka	84
11	Japan	80
12	Philippines	79
13	Puerto Rico	78
14	Chile	70
15	Papua New Guinea	70

Source: Created by the Ministry of the Environment, using information from the IUCN Global Amphibian Assessment (GAA)

is a large river that flows in the northeast area of the Eurasian continent. Its length is approximately 4,400 km, and the land area of its basin is approximately 2.05 million km². Sea ice in the Sea of Okhotsk is formed when the Amur River pours into Amur Bay. In the northern area of the Sea of Okhotsk, freshwater from the Amur

## “The Forest is the Ocean’s Sweetheart Movement” and Damage from Earthquakes

The phrase “the forest is the ocean’s sweetheart” became known throughout Japan from a book of the same name written by Shigeatsu Hatakeyama, who works in the fishery in Karakuwa Town, Miyagi Prefecture. Here we will refer to “The Forest is the Ocean’s Sweetheart (by Shigeatsu Hatakeyama)”.

“Miyagi Prefecture’s Kesennuma Bay is an unparalleled good port with deep water and calm waves, which is unique to the deeply indented coastline. It is one of the nation’s leading fishing ports and at the same time aquaculture industry is vigorous, with oysters, scallops, and kelp being produced. What increases the value of the fishing grounds of this bay is the Ogawa River, which originates in Murone Village, Iwate Prefecture and pours into Kesennuma Bay, carrying nutrients of the forest all the way to the distant Karakuwa Peninsula. In the past, the delta at the mouth of the Ogawa River was famous as a seed home for premium-quality Nori (Porphyra tenera), and the ocean downstream at Matsuiwa and Hashikami were famous as fishing grounds where good-quality seaweed could be harvested. Kesennuma Bay’s seaweed cultivation boasted of such outstanding quality and amounts, but the situation changed around 1961, and it turned seaweed cultivation there into a shambles.”

Mr. Hatakeyama came to recognize that changes in the watershed as a whole including the sequence of forests, rivers, and the sea, are having major effects on Kesennuma's fishing industry. Such changes included reclaiming land in the tidal flats of the mouth of the Ogawa River that pours into Kesennuma Bay, filling the rivers that feed into the Ogawa River with concrete blocks, reduction of the water level of rivers, and a change of broadleaf tree forests upstream into forest plantations of coniferous trees.

Based on the belief that we cannot protect the rich resources of the sea without the interaction between forests, rivers, and the sea, Mr. Hatakeyama continued to talk with people who live near rivers and in forests, and began to interact with the people of fishery that cultivate oysters and the people who live along the Ogawa River.

After that he expanded his interactions to people in various positions who live in the basin from upstream to the river mouth area, which developed into forestation activities in the upstream area by local fishing people. As a result of those efforts, the forest of Oak (Quercus crispula), Beech, and other trees in upstream Muroneyama was named “Oyster Forest” and it has been carefully preserved. This movement has also spread across the nation, and in each region people have become aware of the necessity for management that connects forests, rivers, and the sea.

Due to the massive magnitude 9.0 earthquake centered off the Sanriku coast that struck on March 11, 2011 and the resulting tsunami, fishing industries across a wide area, mainly in areas along the Pacific Coast in the Tohoku region, suffered catastrophic damage. The fishing industry in Kesennuma also had enormous damage; fishing industry facilities such as offices, fishing boats, and cultivation floats were washed away by the tsunami. A ring of support by NPOs and others has begun to spread, and steps are being made in the direction of recovery of the sea.