Kozushima Village Applies to become a "Starry Sky Reserve"

Recently NHK News On-line reported the following:

神津島村「星空保護区」申請へ

08月01日　11時37分

東京・伊豆諸島の神津島村は、国際的な団体が認定する「星空保護区」を目指して今月下旬に申請を行います。

「星空保護区」は、美しい夜空を守る取り組みを評価しようと、世界の天文学者らでつくるＮＰＯ団体が認定していて、国内では沖縄県の西表石垣国立公園が認定されています。

この「星空保護区」を目指して、都心から南へおよそ１８０キロにある離島の神津島村が今月下旬に申請を行います。

認定には、夜空の暗さや屋外の照明が基準を満たしていることや、星空ツアーなどの体験プログラムを実施していることなどが条件となっています。

神津島村では、屋外の照明の明るさや点灯時間などを定めた条例を制定しているほか、星空をガイドする人材育成などを行っていて、国内で２例目の保護区認定を目指します。

神津島村の前田弘村長は「島の自然を守りながら観光の活性化につなげられるように、認定に向けた取り組みを進めていきたい」と話していました。

Translation

Kozushima Village in the Izu Islands of Tokyo later this month would apply to become a "Starry Sky Reserve" to be recognized by an international group.

The "Starry Sky Reserve" was a recognition by an NPO organization created by astronomers from all over the world for the purpose of evaluating efforts in the protect of the beautiful night sky. In Japan, Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park in Okinawa Prefecture has been certified.

Aiming to become a "Starry sky reserve", Kozushima Village, an outlying island located approximately 180 km south of the city center, would make an application later this month.

The certification would be based on the fact that the darkness of the night sky and outdoor lighting could meet the standards, and the conditions that experiencing programs such as starry sky tours had been organized.

In Kozushima Village, in addition to implementing ordinances that determine the brightness of outdoor lighting and lighting time, they were also holding training program for human resources to guide the starry sky tours, and to became the second certified protected area in Japan.

Mayor Hiroshi Maeda of Kozushima Village said, "We would like to proceed with the efforts toward certification so that we can stimulate tourism and at the same time protect the nature of the island."

              So, apart from Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park in Okinawa Prefecture, Kozushima Village in the Izu Islands of Tokyo probably will soon become another "Starry Sky Reserve" in Japan to be recognized by an international group. I will consider including these two locations into my future sight-seeing trips to Japan. All things on earth were from the star-dusts in the universe. To watch the galaxy in a sense could enable us to feel and see our origin, and to understand where we come from.