Aichi Prefecture in October 2010, the government held two round-table meetings in FY 2010 for the "10th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity and the 5th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety," which was established in February 2009. In addition, in order to promote concerted government efforts for the preparation of COP10, the Ministry of the Environment held the "Meeting of Vice-Ministers of Relevant Ministries and Agencies for the 10th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP10)," attended by the vice ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries of relevant ministries and agencies, and carried out site management and operations at the "Secretariat of the Government of Japan for CBD-COP10" jointly established by the relevant ministries and agencies.

Internationally, Japan participated in the preparatory negotiations and made contributions to holding meetings of the convention’s subsidiary bodies and working groups. Japan attended the high-level meeting of the United Nations General Assembly contributing to the International Year of Biodiversity held in New York in September 2010, called for cooperation in making COP10 a success, and held consultations with individual countries.

As for the protocol on access and benefit sharing (ABS) of genetic resources, because a conclusion could not be reached on an ABS draft protocol at the 9th meeting of ABS working group held in Cali (Colombia) in March 2010, the resumed 9th meeting of ABS working group and the meeting of inter-regional negotiating group of the ABS working group were held in Montreal (Canada) in July and September, respectively. As the COP10 Presidency, Japan provided financial contributions required for holding the above two meetings, so that the Parties could consult fully on ABS.

During COP10, Japan as the COP10 Presidency cooperated with the secretariat of the Convention and put its fullest efforts into the operation of the meetings and leading discussions. As a result, a total of 47 decisions were adopted, including the strategic plan for Biodiversity 2010-2011 (the Aichi Biodiversity Targets), and the Nagoya Protocol, on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) of genetic resources.

It was strongly pointed out that in order to implement the decisions of COP10 and other aspects of the Convention it is necessary to provide developing countries with financing, technology transfers, and capacity building. As the COP10 Presidency, in FY 2010 Japan contributed JPY 1 billion to the Convention Secretariat from the Japan Biodiversity Fund, in order to support capacity building activities by developing countries aiming to achieve the Aichi Targets.

With the adaptation of the Nagoya Protocol on ABS, to support the early entry in to force of the protocol, the government established a new fund in the World Bank, intended for conservation of natural habitats for genetic resources and the transfer of technology to developing countries. Japan has contributed 1 billion yen to this fund.

In order to slow the accelerating loss of biodiversity worldwide, it is not sufficient to merely conserve pristine environment. It is also important to make the development of human activities in harmony with the conservation of biodiversity in human-influenced natural environments, which have been impacted by human activities such as agriculture, forestry and fisheries, all over the world. To tackle this issue, the efforts to promote sustainable use and management of natural resources in human-influenced natural environments were proposed and announced at COP10 as the “Satoyama Initiative,” The “International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative (IPSI)” was also launched to promote information sharing and research. At COP10, it was recognized by the conference of the parties that the Satoyama Initiative could be a useful tool to better understand and support human-influenced natural environments, for the benefit of biodiversity and human well-being. A decision was made to invite the parties to the convention, other governments and relevant organizations to participate in the IPSI to further advance the Satoyama Initiative. In March 2011, the first IPSI regular meeting was held in the City of Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture. At that meeting, members of its steering committee were elected and collaborative activities under the IPSI were endorsed.

Just prior to COP10, Japan served as host of the fifth meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (COP/MOP 5), which was held in October 2010. At that meeting the “Nagoya-Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety” was adopted.

Based on the Ramsar Convention, as of the end of March 2011, Japan has 37 Ramsar sites registered as internationally important wetlands. In addition to promoting efforts for conservation and wise use of those Ramsar sites, consideration is being given to adding candidate sites for Ramsar sites, and in September 2010 the government released a list of 172 potential candidate sites that would meet international standards for Ramsar sites. Japan has also cooperated with countries in Southeast Asia in order to designate, conserve, and wisely use internationally important wetlands in the area.

In addition to regulations on imports and exports of endangered threatened wild fauna and flora based on CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), Japan also regulates domestic transfers of species listed in Appendix I of the Convention. Relevant ministries, agencies, and organizations have also been cooperating to reduce illegal trading of species subject to the convention's regulations, including trade through the Internet.

Yakushima, Shirakami-Sanchi, and Shirotoko are inscribed on the World Heritage List, based on the Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (World Heritage Convention). Conservation and management measures for these sites have been implemented a collaborative manner within relevant ministries and agencies, local governments, local relevant parties, and experts. In June 2010, the government launched a scientific committee comprised