Overview

• UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee unanimously passed a resolution on July 10 requiring Japan to conduct detailed environmental and social impact assessments before any development in the Shiretoko World Natural Heritage site.
• The resolution instructs the Japanese government to report on its implementation of these assessments by December 1, 2027.
• The call for assessments comes after a 2022 cruise-ship disaster exposed critical gaps in mobile connectivity on the peninsula.
• In May 2024, plans for a base station at Shiretoko Cape were suspended due to potential white-tailed eagle nesting, highlighting the sensitivity of projects in the protected area.
• Shari Town officials and environmental NGOs have expressed cautious optimism that the resolution will allow for improved communications without undermining the site’s ecological value.