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Japan Forward
6 days ago
- General
- Japan Forward
Reintroducing Wolves: A New Hope for Japanese Ecosystems
During a recent visit to the Hokkaido University Botanical Garden in Sapporo, I found myself standing before two haunting figures: the taxidermied remains of the now-extinct Ezo and Honshu wolves. Preserved behind glass, their forms felt frozen in time, ghosts of a lost species that once ruled the forests of Japan. Their absence, however, is anything but silent. In recent decades, deer, wild boar, and even bears have surged in numbers across Japan. They have disrupted ecosystems and damaged crops, edging ever closer to human settlements. It's within this context that the Japan Wolf Association (JWA) proposes an audacious solution: Bring back the wolves. A taxidermied Japanese wolf (courtesy of the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences / Faculty of Agriculture). The JWA was founded in 1993 by Associate Professor Naoki Maruyama, who was then teaching at Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology. According to Kunihiko Otsuki, a current director at the Association, the idea was born after Maruyama attended a conference in Poland. "He happened to see a wolf on the grasslands," Otsuki told me. At the time, Maruyama had been researching the effects of deer overpopulation on Japan's forests. That single encounter made him realize what was missing in his work: a natural predator. He returned to Japan convinced that wolves were the key to restoring balance to the nation's ecosystems, and rallied fellow researchers to form the JWA. "In the beginning, we were starting from zero," said Otsuki. The notion of reintroducing wolves to Japan was met with skepticism and fear. For many, wolves were still the villains of old folktales, dangerous beasts better left in the past. Yet over the years, the Association's persistence has paid off. Between 2006 and 2016, public support for their reintroduction rose from 17.4% to 43.3%. During the same period, opposition fell from 30.2% to just 11.0%. These numbers, Otsuki believes, reflect the cumulative impact of the Association's outreach: books, symposiums, a robust online presence, and educational campaigns. However, progress has since stalled. "Support has plateaued since 2016," Otsuki said. "The biggest barrier now is the government." Japan's Ministry of the Environment remains opposed to the idea of reintroducing wolves. Without political will, the JWA finds itself at a crossroads. "We believe we've entered a phase where political lobbying is necessary. Ultimately, we must move the national government." Tibetan wolves in the enclosure at Osaka's Tennoji Zoo (courtesy of Tennoji Zoo) What would the return of wolves mean for Japan's environment? Otsuki laid it out in ecological terms: deer populations, particularly Sika and Ezo deer, are causing widespread damage to forests and farmland. The government has responded with increased hunting allowances, but the effects have been minimal. Wolves, as apex predators, could offer a more sustainable solution by naturally regulating deer and boar numbers. "By restoring the food chain's natural order, wolves would allow vegetation to recover," said Otsuki. This, in turn, would support the return of birds and small mammals, halt soil erosion, and slowly revive entire ecosystems. "Ultimately, we see this contributing to the recovery of healthy forest systems and the mountain–river–sea continuum." So, where would reintroduction be viable? According to the Association, mountainous regions across Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu are all technically suitable. Wolves, with a natural fear of humans, could be imported from overseas, and would likely avoid populated areas, said Otsuki. Potential sites include Shiretoko, the Daisetsuzan range, the Japanese Alps, the Kii Peninsula, the Chugoku Mountains, and Mt Aso. Each of these areas has sufficient prey and land area to support multiple packs — roughly 100 to 300 square kilometers per territory. Even in national parks with tourist traffic or rural communities, human activity wouldn't necessarily pose a significant obstacle. "If Japan's intensive livestock model is maintained, wolf attacks on farm animals would likely be rare," Otsuki explained. Still, he acknowledged the need for systems to mitigate risk: "Subsidies for livestock protection and compensation schemes must be in place to reassure farmers." Moreover, geography isn't the only factor. "Local government consent and political decisions will greatly influence which sites are selected," he said. "That's why we can't name a concrete location ourselves at this stage." Public fear remains a formidable challenge. "The biggest misconception is fear — what we call 'Little Red Riding Hood syndrome,'" said Otsuki. People also conflate wolf reintroduction with the introduction of invasive species, or worry that wolves will disrupt ecosystems rather than restore them. To change minds, the JWA has used every tool at its disposal, including books, lectures, exhibitions, art, and social media. One notable publication, The Maligned Predator: Rethinking Wolves in Japanese History ( Ookami Enzai no Nihonshi in Japanese, Impress Books), directly rebuts the idea that wolves were historically dangerous to humans. A taxidermied specimen of the Japanese wolf (courtesy of the National Museum of Nature and Science). The Association also shares accident statistics, research from Europe and North America, and even produces children's stories with wolves as protagonists. "We share voices from communities already coexisting with wolves," said Otsuki. Could Japan follow in the footsteps of Yellowstone National Park or Europe? Otsuki thinks so. The reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone in the 1990s is often cited as a success story. Wolves restored balance to the ecosystem, reducing elk overgrazing and allowing plant and animal life to flourish. The European example is different but equally valuable. Protected under the 1979 Bern Convention, wolves in Europe have expanded naturally from neighboring countries into old habitats. "It's not exactly reintroduction, but more like a comeback," said Otsuki. He highlighted a framework Japan could emulate: protect wolves legally, create compensation systems for damages, and permit controlled hunting once populations stabilize. "Public education, like websites explaining that wolves aren't dangerous, is also key." Finally, I asked Otsuki what reintroduction would mean for Japan, not just ecologically, but culturally and spiritually. "It would be a big step for biodiversity," he said. Japan is classified as a biodiversity hotspot (rich, highly threatened ecosystems) by Conservation International. "Wolves could help reverse the decline of vegetation, birds, insects, soil life — even reduce sediment buildup in rivers and dams." Culturally, wolves once held sacred meaning in Japan. Shrines, such as Mitsumine Shrine in Saitama Prefecture, still honor them, and legends abound about wolves that protected and guided humans. "These stories show that wolves were once part of a vibrant spiritual worldview," Otsuki explained. Their return could reignite that relationship. In a time when balance feels increasingly out of reach, the howl of a returning wolf might signal something far greater than its own survival. It could mark the first step toward restoring Japan's ecological soul. And perhaps most profoundly, reintroducing wolves would force a reckoning with the natural world. "Seeing a wolf hunt a deer might strike some as cruel," said Otsuki, "but it reminds us of nature's laws. It helps us reflect on what life means, and what it means to live as a human in harmony with nature." Author: Daniel Manning
Yomiuri Shimbun
6 days ago
- Science
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Satellites Help Farmers Herd Cattle, Determine Fertilizer Usage; Post-Disaster Efforts Aided from Space
The Yomiuri Shimbun Satellites orbiting the Earth are essential for weather forecasting, broadcasting and even for locating people. The 'eyes' that view the planet from space now have such high resolution that they can boast tremendous capabilities in aiding efficient management of dairy farms and post-disaster recovery and restoration. Japan's first satellite was Ohsumi. It was launched in 1970 by a team from a research institute at the University of Tokyo. A little over half a century later, many types of satellite are indispensable in our daily lives, including earth observation satellites for weather forecasting; communications and broadcasting satellites essential for transmitting data such as TV signals; and positioning satellites for determining the positions of cars and others. They are also used for military purposes such as detecting missiles. Early satellites could at best be used to distinguish whether land on the Earth was an agricultural field or a residential area. Technology in modern satellites has evolved to the point where the type of a vehicle on a road can be identified, and the risk of a water pipe leak can be calculated based on ground surface temperature and ground deformation. 'Space Cattle' project As beef cattle graze peacefully on a farm in Shiraoi, Hokkaido, their conditions are managed using satellite data as part of the 'Space Cattle' research project conducted by Hokkaido University and Keio University in collaboration with livestock farmers. Devices attached to the cattle's necks receive radio waves emitted from a satellite system to monitor their positions and determine the distances they have traveled in a vast pasture. The system can detect if any individual is not getting enough physical activities. Its use is expected to reduce the number of cattle that get lost and die. Lower burden on farmers The satellite system can also provide images for the monitoring of the growth of grass in the pasture. If the cattle have grazed too much in one area, they can be moved to another area where there is more grass. By guiding them efficiently in this way, farmers do not have to rely as much on imported feed, the price of which soars in spring and summer. 'I want to encourage young people to get involved in raising livestock,' Prof. Takafumi Goto, of Hokkaido University said enthusiastically. Goto is one of the specialists engaged in the 'Space Cattle' project. Livestock farmers are required to care for their animals on a daily basis. Goto has seen many students who were eager to become livestock farmers eventually change their career paths upon graduating. If grazing data collected from space can be checked via smartphone, livestock farmers will be able to take relaxing family trips. That is one of Goto's goals. He also says that grazing cattle on abandoned farmland is another goal. In this way, the 'Space Cattle' project has enormous potential. Satellites can also help crop farmers and fishermen. Their images can be used to monitor the growth of rice plants and determine the proper amount of fertilizer to apply and the proper time to harvest. Plankton levels and seawater temperatures can be monitored to predict good fishing grounds and adjust feed in aquaculture. Used for disaster efforts Satellites are also a powerful tool in disaster recovery efforts. After last year's Noto Peninsula Earthquake, satellite images captured the widespread upheavals along the coastline and landslides in mountainous areas, providing a full picture of the damage. Satellite communications were used in areas that became isolated as cell phone base stations were not operational. They are also useful for disaster prevention. In Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture, where 28 people were killed in a mudslide in 2021, a satellite system monitors for the unauthorized logging of forests. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government uses a satellite system to identify dangerous embankments of earth. 'The use of satellite data will expand in all fields in the future,' said Naohiko Kohtake, a professor at Keio University who is an expert on space development. 'It also has the potential to solve problems related to labor shortages and depopulation, and to create new industries.'
Asahi Shimbun
14-05-2025
- Science
- Asahi Shimbun
New genus, species named for pterosaur fossil in Kyushu
A team of researchers re-examining a fossil found about 30 years ago in Kumamoto Prefecture concluded it is a new genus and species of pterosaur, a prehistoric flying reptile. It is the first such naming of a fossil discovered in Japan, the researchers from the Mifune Dinosaur Museum, Kumamoto University and Hokkaido University announced on May 13. The new species, named Nipponopterus mifunensis, is on display at the museum. According to the announcement, the fossil dug up in 1996 in Mifune, Kumamoto Prefecture, came from a layer of the Late Cretaceous (100.5 million to 66 million years ago) in a riverbed upstream from a dam. The fossil was of the cervical vertebrae. But the lack of fossil information about pterosaurs at that time made it difficult to more clearly identify the fragment. The research team used a CT scan of the fossil and compared the data with those of other pterosaurs. That led to the conclusion the fossil was a new species of azhdarchid pterosaur, which had a long neck. The fossil was dated from about 90 million years ago and is from a close relative of Quetzalcoatlus, a large pterosaur that lived in North America in the latter half of the Late Cretaceous. The research team published its findings in the March issue of Cretaceous Research. Azhdarchids appeared in the Late Cretaceous in a wide area encompassing Asia, Africa and the Americas. But there are few fossils because the skeletons are so fragile. (This article was written by Eiji Zakoda and Ryo Sasaki.)
The Mainichi
14-05-2025
- Science
- The Mainichi
Kyushu dinosaur museum identifies fossil as new pterosaur species
KUMAMOTO (Kyodo) -- A fossil found nearly three decades ago in southwestern Japan's Kumamoto Prefecture has been identified to be a previously unclassified genus and species of pterosaur, or prehistoric flying reptile, a local dinosaur museum said Tuesday. Nipponopterus mifunensis is the first pterosaur to be formally named as a distinct species based on the fossil. Because it is the first known member of a new genus group of closely related species, the fossil is expected to offer important clues for studying the evolutionary process of pterosaurs. The research was the result of work between institutions including the Mifune Dinosaur Museum, Kumamoto University and Hokkaido University. The fossil, a cervical vertebra, was found in 1996 in a layer of rock dating to the Late Cretaceous Period, approximately 66 million to 100.5 million years ago. The fossil was initially thought to be from a member of the broader Azhdarchidae family of pterosaurs. Further research enabled paleontologists to compare specimens and confirm it differed from existing fossils. Their findings were published in an international scientific journal in March. Pterosaurs were flying reptiles distinct from dinosaurs.
Asahi Shimbun
05-05-2025
- General
- Asahi Shimbun
Remains of three Ainu people returned from Britain to Japan
The traditional Ainu ritual of Kamuynomi is performed at the Upopoy National Ainu Museum and Park in Shiraoi, Hokkaido, on May 3, after Ainu people's remains are returned from Britain. (Yuto Ota) SHIRAOI, Hokkaido—The skulls of three Ainu individuals were returned from Britain to Hokkaido, the third repatriation of the indigenous people's remains from overseas. So far, eight sets of Ainu remains have been moved back to Japan. Kamuynomi, a traditional Ainu ritual of offering prayers to gods, was performed at the Upopoy National Ainu Museum and Park here on May 3 after the skulls returned by the University of Edinburgh were stored in the Memorial Site at the facility. Masaru Okawa, executive director of the Ainu Association of Hokkaido, described the remains as 'our brethren and ancestors.' When he received the skulls at a ceremony at the University of Edinburgh on April 30, Okawa said he thought, 'At long last, we have been able to come to greet them.' He added, 'I was filled with a desire to rightfully take them back to where they were born and raised and console their souls in a dignified manner.' Remains of the Ainu, who inhabit the northern part of the Japanese archipelago, mainly Hokkaido, were collected by domestic and overseas institutions for research purposes. In previous repatriations, the remains of an Ainu individual were brought back from Germany in 2017 and four more from Australia in 2023. The total number of Ainu people's remains that were taken out of Japan is still unknown, said Hirofumi Kato, a professor of indigenous archaeology at Hokkaido University's Center for Ainu and Indigenous Studies. He said the three skulls returned from Britain are only a small part of them. Japan has also been calling on Britain to return three Ainu remains preserved at the National History Museum in London. The skulls were kept at the University of Edinburgh's Anatomical Museum, according to the Ainu Policy Promotion Headquarters of the Cabinet Secretariat. A catalog of the museum's collection indicates that the specimens derive from the present-day Urakawa town, Erimo town and Kushiro area. The remains will be placed in the Upopoy Memorial Site until they are taken over by organizations in Hokkaido. A group in the Kushiro area has applied for taking custody of the skull from the area. According to the University of Edinburgh, the remains were donated to the university in 1913 by Neil Gordon Munro, an anthropologist and doctor who provided free medical care to the Ainu community in the town of Hiratori in Hokkaido. Kato said the remains of indigenous populations were collected around the globe for research purposes from the 18th century, largely without consent from those concerned. He said calls from indigenous groups have led to gradual repatriations to their rightful owners, although some institutions are reluctant to give up what they consider research materials. The University of Edinburgh returned the skulls of four indigenous individuals to Taiwan in 2023. In a statement, Principal Peter Mathieson, who attended the April 30 repatriation ceremony, said, 'Repatriations are part of the university's important ongoing work to review its colonial past, and we are committed to returning remains in our care to their rightful descendants.'
