Environment
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
1. About CITES
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is an international agreement whose aim is to ensure, through regulations, that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.
2. Japan and CITES
(1) Japan’s policy on wildlife protection
Japan's policy on the protection of wildlife includes taking appropriate measures based on "sustainable use of natural resources." This is a principle which balances the exploitation and use of wildlife resources, and conservation of the environment and biodiversity.
(2) Participation in the meetings
Since becoming a Party of CITES in 1980, Japan has participated in various meetings under CITES. In particular, Japan hosted COP8 in 1992 in Kyoto and has been elected as a member of the Standing Committee five times (once as a host country of COP (1989-1994), four times as a Representative of Asia (1994-2000, 2004-2010, 2010-2016, 2022-end of COP21)). Ambassador Nobutoshi Akao chaired the Standing Committee from 1994 to 1997.
(3) Financial contribution to the Convention
In addition to being the second largest contributor to the Convention among the Parties, Japan also has been making project-based voluntary contributions to activities such as the Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) projects, development of identification manuals, assistance to COP, regional meetings in Asia, national legislation project as well as law enforcement programs.
To support measures against poaching of African elephants and illegal trade in ivory, the Government of Japan has made contributions under CITES' Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) Programme.
FY 2019: Support for the development of elephant poaching monitoring facilities in Zambia (USD 76,798) (Handing-over ceremony held on September 1, 2022)
FY 2020: Support for elephant research, installation of poaching monitoring equipment, and ranger training in Rwanda (USD 55,371) (Completion ceremony held on February 20, 2024)
FY 2021: Support for elephant mortality investigation and ivory retrieval in Botswana (USD 55,375)
2023: Support for the construction of a research and scientific center in Zimbabwe (USD 54,208)
(4) Reservations
Currently Japan has reservations to ten species of whales listed in Appendix I based on the objective assessment that the stock of these species concerned are at a sustainable level. Eleven species which are listed in Appendix II are also included in the reservations made by Japan due to insufficient scientific data to be judged as a threatened species.
