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Proposal for the Nature Restoration of Osaka Bay and Nature-Positive Vision for Expo 2025
-RSPB and Japanese Conservation Organizations Send Joint Letter to the Mayor of Osaka and Governor of Osaka Prefecture-

2025.6.10

  • The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and six Japanese nature conservation organizations have jointly submitted a letter to the Governor of Osaka Prefecture and the Mayor of Osaka City, proposing the ecological restoration of Osaka Bay in connection with the upcoming Expo 2025 Osaka.
  • The letter highlights the importance of Osaka Bay for the critically endangered spoon-billed sandpiper, of which fewer than 800 individuals remain worldwide. It emphasizes the need to conserve the remaining waterfront areas on Yumeshima Island and to promote the restoration of coastal wetlands.
  • The signatories express their hope that, by leveraging the UK’s expertise in nature conservation, Osaka Bay can become an international model for coastal ecosystem conservation and a meaningful step toward achieving a nature-positive future.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), the UK's largest nature conservation organization, along with six Japanese nature conservation organizations including the Nature Conservation Society of Japan (NACS-J, Chairman: TSUCHIYA Toshiyuki), jointly sent a letter on June 10, 2025, via email to the Governor of Osaka Prefecture and the Mayor of Osaka City. The letter, dated May 29, proposes the ecological restoration of Osaka Bay in conjunction with the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo.

The letter highlights the current situation in Yumeshima, a wetland that was once one of Japan’s most important stopover sites for migratory birds such as the spoon-billed sandpiper, which has been severely damaged due to the development of the Expo venue. It advocates for the conservation of waterfronts and the restoration of coastal wetlands, and proposes that the region should become an international model for "Nature Positive" (ecological recovery).

Main Points of the Letter:

  • Conserve and manage the Yumeshima waterfront for the benefit of waterbirds.
  • Protect, restore, and create new coastal wetlands within Osaka Bay.
  • Publicly announce these conservation efforts during Expo 2025 Osaka.
Click here to read the letter (Japanese only)

Reference

Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB)

Established in 1889 and based in the United Kingdom, the RSPB is the largest nature conservation organization in Europe, with over 1.2 million members. Centered on bird conservation, it works to protect ecosystems across the UK and around the world.
https://www.rspb.org.uk/

Nature Conservation Society of Japan (NACS-J)

Founded in 1951 with the mission of protecting nature and conserving biodiversity, NACS-J is one of Japan’s oldest and most established conservation organizations. It began its efforts by protecting the Oze wetlands from dam development and has since been active in Yakushima, the Ogasawara Islands, the Shirakami Mountains, and other key natural areas, helping pave the way for their registration as UNESCO World Natural Heritage Sites.

Under the vision, “Making a new path for tomorrow, with the power of nature,” NACS-J is a NGO that works toward building a society where people and nature coexist in harmony—where everyone can live happily surrounded by abundant and beautiful natural environments. From mountains to the sea, we work across Japan to study, protect, and sustainably utilize nature’s blessings.

https://www.nacsj.or.jp/

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