Preamble to the Yakushima Charter

Yakushima-A Treasure for the Earth and All Humanity.

Yakushima is the fifth largest island in Japan. It has a circumference of 132 km and an area of 503 square kilometers. People have lived on this island for many years. The island is blessed with an awe-inspiring natural beauty that is symbolized by a cedar known as Yakusugi, by the people’s respect for the gods, by the island streams in which they bathe, and by their enjoyment of the bounty of the great sea. This island has been stirring the souls of the island people for many years.

Recently, however, suffering and complications have arisen from the conflict between preservation and exploitation of the forest. Now, Yakushima has escaped from the need for a rough- and-tumble materialistic society, and its very existence is now a revelation of both human and global perspectives. 

We who live on this island intend to carry on with due regard for the natural beauty and history of this island through our beliefs and our way of life, thereby nurturing a correct understanding of Yakushima’s role and value. To this end, we intend to expand a range of comprehensive life activities by fully utilizing the nature and environment of this island. At the same time, we will enhance the value of its assets and make it a rule to continually increase them.

Not only the administrative bodies, but all those concerned in Yakushima should adhere to these principles. Japan’s efforts to register its natural heritage and Kagoshima Prefecture’s Environmental and Cultural Village Plan should both be respected at the highest possible levels. Respect for these principles will prevent this farsighted program from straying toward idealism. With this as our momentum, we hereby establish the Charter of Yakushima by adopting the following articles.

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Provisions

1. We will endeavor to conserve and nurture our marine environment as an index of island development so that residents can drink this pure water anytime and anywhere, and enjoy its impressive purity. Toward this goal, we will continue to reflect on the value of Yakushima.
   
   
2. We will create a rich community in which children can develop a relationship with nature and embrace their hopes and dreams, with the result that children the world over will yearn to live on this island.
   
   
3. We will promote sustainable cultivation of the island by valuing our history and traditions, and by making the most of our natural resources and the blessings of our environment without destroying its value.
   
   
4. We will foster exchanges with people the world over by offering our diverse and unique views on how humanity can live harmony with nature.
   

Source : Charter of Yakushima, Yakushima Town Hall
Original text is here.