The farm ministry on Tuesday nominated three areas in Gifu, Wakayama and Miyazaki prefectures for addition to the world list of agricultural heritage.
Their candidacy will be considered next year at an international conference on Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems.
Wakayama was put forward for its "ume" plum orchard industry, Gifu for its fishing for sweetfish and Miyazaki for its forestry, woodland preservation and sustainable agriculture.
The concept of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems was introduced as a status by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization in 2002. It is intended to identify and preserve ecologically valuable farming methods that make use of the local environment, using the land in a sustainable way to preserve biodiversity.
The FAO considers new regions for inclusion every two years. It currently lists 31 areas in 13 countries, including five in Japan.