Editorial

15:33 JST, March 5, 2025

When will this rare bird, a symbol of Japan, once again fly over this nation? A new challenge is about to begin.

The Environment Ministry has decided to release toki crested ibises, designated as a special natural monument of Japan, in Honshu for the first time. Until now, the birds have only been released on Sado Island in Niigata Prefecture. But in June 2026, 15 to 20 birds will be released as a first step on the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture.

The Noto Peninsula, like Sado Island, is rich in nature. The area is likely suitable for the birds, which forage for food in rice paddies and roost in the surrounding forests. In 1970, the last toki bird in Honshu was captured on the Noto Peninsula and transferred to a protective facility on Sado Island.

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