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| Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums | |
|---|---|
| Name | Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums |
| Formation | 1939 |
| Headquarters | Tokyo |
| Region served | Japan |
| Membership | zoos and aquariums |
| Leader title | President |
Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums The Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums is a national membership organization founded in 1939 that coordinates collaboration among zoological parks and public aquaria across Japan, aligning institutional practice with international standards set by organizations such as the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. It serves as a hub for professional exchange between institutions including Ueno Zoo, Tennoji Zoo, Asahiyama Zoo, Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium, and Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan, while engaging with governmental and non-governmental entities such as the Ministry of the Environment (Japan), the Japan Wildlife Conservation Society, and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. The association links Japanese practice to external models exemplified by the Zoological Society of London, the Smithsonian Institution, the San Diego Zoo Global, and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
The association traces its origins to pre-war exchanges among institutions like Ueno Zoo and Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens and formalized in 1939 in Tokyo amid contemporaneous developments at Edo-Tokyo Museum and engagements with scholars from Kyoto University and The University of Tokyo, later expanding through post-war reconstruction with participation from Sapporo Maruyama Zoo and Kobe Municipal Suma Aqualife Park. During the 1950s and 1960s it responded to influences from the International Zoo Yearbook community and collaborations with the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria, while responding to regulatory frameworks informed by the Wildlife Protection and Hunting Law and dialogues involving the Diet of Japan. In the late 20th century the association adopted conservation priorities reflecting the Bonn Convention and initiatives modeled by the World Conservation Strategy, partnering with institutions including Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, Kagoshima City Aquarium, and Hakodate City Tropical Botanical Garden. In the 21st century it has addressed challenges presented by events such as the Great East Japan Earthquake and integrated protocols aligned with the World Health Organization guidance and networks like the Asian Zoo Association.
Governance is structured through an executive board including representatives from major facilities such as Tsukuba Botanical Garden-affiliated institutions, Nagoya City Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens, and regional members from Hiroshima City Asa Zoological Park and Fukuoka City Zoological Garden. The association coordinates committees on fields represented by the International Union for Conservation of Nature specialist groups, aligns standards with the Convention on Biological Diversity, and liaises with ministries such as the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and agencies like the Japan Meteorological Agency on disaster preparedness. Leadership roles have involved professionals trained at universities like Hokkaido University and Tohoku University, with advisory inputs from international partners including the American Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria.
Membership comprises city-operated zoos and private aquaria including institutions such as Asahiyama Zoo, Nagasaki Bio Park, Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise, Sendai Uminomori Aquarium, and Kobe Oji Zoo, alongside smaller facilities like Morioka Zoo and Tottori Hanakairo Gardens. Accreditation and standards mirror criteria used by Zoo Outreach Organisation and the Species360 database, involving husbandry protocols shared with facilities like Tama Zoological Park and Inokashira Park Zoo. Regional clusters form among members in prefectures such as Hokkaidō, Aomori Prefecture, Ibaraki Prefecture, Nagano Prefecture, and Okinawa Prefecture, facilitating exchanges with international counterparts including Chester Zoo, Berlin Zoological Garden, and Taronga Zoo.
The association coordinates species conservation programs for taxa featured at member institutions, collaborating with specialist groups from the International Union for Conservation of Nature and networks like the European Endangered Species Programme and the Asian Species Action Partnership. Target projects have included captive breeding and reintroduction planning for species connected to Japanese habitats such as the Japanese macaque, Ryukyu long-tailed giant rat studies involving Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium collaborations, and conservation of migratory species intersecting with efforts by the Japan Bird Banding Association and the Wild Bird Society of Japan. Research partnerships extend to universities including Kyushu University, Nagoya University, and Keio University, and to museums such as the National Museum of Nature and Science. The association also engages with international research on disease ecology from institutions such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Organisation for Animal Health.
Educational outreach leverages exhibits and programs at member venues like Ueno Zoo, Asahiyama Zoo, Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium, and Hiroshima City Asa Zoological Park and collaborates with educational authorities including the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (Japan). School programs and citizen science projects are coordinated in partnership with organizations such as the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, the Japan Science and Technology Agency, and non-governmental groups like the Nature Conservation Society of Japan. Public campaigns have been run jointly with media outlets such as NHK, Yomiuri Shimbun, and Asahi Shimbun, and tie into international observances promoted by the United Nations and the International Day for Biological Diversity.
Welfare standards reference guidance from the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums and ethical discourse informed by scholars at University of Tokyo and Osaka University, with protocols adapted from international frameworks like the Five Domains model and policies developed in consultation with veterinary associations including the Japanese Society of Veterinary Science and the Japanese Association of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine. The association addresses issues raised by activists and organizations such as Greenpeace and WWF Japan and implements emergency response planning in coordination with agencies including the Japan Coast Guard and municipal disaster management offices influenced by lessons from the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.
Annual meetings and symposiums convene professionals from member institutions and international partners including the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (USA), and the Asian Zoo Association, often hosted at venues like Ueno Zoo, Pacifico Yokohama, and conference centers in Osaka and Sapporo. The association organizes thematic conferences on subjects overlapping with organizations such as the International Marine Animal Trainers' Association, the Society for Conservation Biology, and the Ecological Society of Japan, and collaborates on workshops with universities like Ritsumeikan University and research institutes like the National Institute for Environmental Studies.
Category:Zoos in Japan Category:Organizations established in 1939