Japan’s First Corporate “Hometown Tax” Utilised to Launch New Nature-Positive Initiative in Minakami Town, Gunma Prefecture
Partnership Agreement between Mitsubishi Estate, Minakami Town, and the Nature Conservation Society of Japan

1. Conversion of artificial forests with degraded ecosystems into natural forests (Approx. 80 ha)

It is well known that poorly managed artificial forests have lower levels of biodiversity compared to natural forests. This initiative aims to convert such artificial forests to natural forests with native vegetation to conserve and restore biodiversity in the area. The project will target approximately 80 hectares in Minakami Town over a 10-year period, employing methods such as tree planting and improvement cutting. The activities will also be integrated with the conservation of indicator species of the ecosystem, including the golden eagle and the mountain hawk-eagle.

2. Conservation and restoration of biodiversity-rich Satoyama Landscapes

Satoyama are traditional rural landscapes shaped over centuries through interactions between people and nature. They are a distinctive feature of Japan’s natural environment, consisting of diverse habitats such as rice paddies, irrigation ponds, and grasslands that support a wide variety of flora and fauna. However, degradation of satoyama, caused by factors such as farmland abandonment and the introduction of invasive alien species, poses a serious challenge to biodiversity conservation across Japan, including Minakami Town. This initiative will focus on restoring biodiversity-rich satoyama in Minakami Town, including efforts such as removing invasive species from irrigation ponds.

3. Achieving low-density management of sika deer populations

The rapid increase of sika deer has become a nationwide issue, causing crop damage and destruction of forest ecosystems. In Minakami Town, deer populations are also on the rise, requiring urgent action. To maintain the balance of forest ecosystems and prevent biodiversity loss while also avoiding the high costs and long timelines of measures taken only after overpopulation occurs, the initiative will focus on scientific monitoring and the development of efficient capture techniques to achieve low-density management of sika deer.

4. Implementation of Nature-based Solutions (NbS)

Through initiatives (1)–(3), the project will implement Nature-based Solutions (NbS)**, harnessing biodiversity to contribute to disaster risk reduction, water source conservation, wildlife damage control, and sustainable community development. This includes exploring the utilisation of timber generated from the conversion of artificial forests to natural forests, adding value to primary products cultivated in biodiversity-rich satoyama landscapes, and making effective use of venison from deer population management. Furthermore, to foster future custodians, the project will promote civil participation and educational use, leading to increased community engagement and unique local educational initiatives.

5. Advancing and applying quantitative evaluations of biodiversity conservation and the multi-faceted functions of nature

The quantitative evaluation of biodiversity conservation efforts became a key topic at COP15 as an important step in the realization of a nature-positive society. In this initiative, we will collaborate with research institutions and universities to develop quantitative biodiversity evaluation methods that could serve as internationally leading case studies. The results of these evaluations will be utilized for periodic reports for UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, and will be shared with the international community.

Minakami Town
Located in the northernmost part of Gunma Prefecture, the town is 1.2 times the size of Tokyo’s 23 wards and approximately 90% of the town area is made up of forests. With its rich ecosystems, it has been designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, serving as a model region for promoting sustainable economic activities that utilise local natural resources. It is also home to the headwaters of the Tonegawa River, part of which flows through the Musashi and Arakawa water systems to support the daily lives of 30 million people in the Tokyo metropolitan area, including Marunouchi (central Tokyo).

NACS-J
Japan’s oldest environmental NGO. Mitsubishi Estate Co., Ltd. has been a corporate member since 2015, working together on initiatives such as the restoration of the waterside environment in the moats surrounding the Imperial Palace and ongoing conservation activities in Miyako Island. In Minakami Town, the two organizations have collaborated with national and local partners on the AKAYA Project, which focuses on biodiversity conservation and sustainable community development. Guided by the vision, “Making a new path for tomorrow, with the power of nature,” the organization strives to build a society where people and nature coexist, and where everyone—from infants to the elderly—can live happily surrounded by nature.

Mitsubishi Estate
A real estate developer that has been involved in urban planning for over 130 years, beginning with the central Tokyo area (Otemachi, Marunouchi, and Yurakucho districts) and expanding to various locations. The Mitsubishi Estate Group established “Sustainability Vision 2050 – Be the Ecosystem Engineers” as its goal to achieve by 2050. The vision aspires for the Group to become an “engineer” that provides places and mechanisms (= ecosystems) where diverse stakeholders with different positions can sustainably build symbiotic relationships across all aspects of the economy, environment, and society.