Arab News Japan

TOKYO: Lake Inawashiro in Fukushima Prefecture has been registered as wetlands under the Ramsar Convention, the Fukushima Prefecture Department of Conservation reported on Thursday.

Aizuwakamatsu City, Koriyama City, Inawashiro Town and Fukushima Prefecture cooperated to get Lake Inawashiro registered under the Ramsar Convention. It is the 54th such location in Japan and the second –after Oze – in Fukushima Prefecture.

The area is part of the Bandai-Asahi National Park and covers 10,960 hectares.

Lake Inawashiro is the fourth-largest lake in Japan and, with its rich aquatic habitat, is known as home to many wild birds and aquatic plants. The lake’s wide area and significant depth lead to the water temperature decreasing less in winter, which in turn means the lake does not freeze. Due to this, it is a valuable spot for ducks and swans in winter. Lake Inawashiro and its surroundings are home to 197 different species of fauna, including 111 species of birds.

Over 100 species of aquatic plants grow in the area, and it is the largest national habitat for fringed water lilies. A total of 705 species of ground plants has been confirmed on the lake’s shores, making it an important location for conserving biodiversity in the region.

The lake water is used for hydroelectric power, irrigation, and supplying both Aizuwakamatsu City and Koriyama City. 

The inflowing rivers give rise to multiple sand beaches near the river mouths, creating the distinctive “hakusha seisho” (white beach, green pine trees) vistas, which makes it one of Fukushima Prefecture’s major tourism destinations.

The Ramsar Convention is an international agreement adopted in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971, aiming to conserve wetlands and waterfowl habitats.