Japan has decided to recommend a chain of southwestern islands as a candidate for listing as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2020, the government said Friday.
It is the second time the government has put forward the site for consideration. It consists of Amami Oshima and Tokunoshima islands in Kagoshima Prefecture along with the northern part of the main island of Okinawa and the prefecture's Iriomote Island.
The island chain boasts extensive subtropical forests that are home to rare species such as the Amami rabbit, the Okinawa rail — a species of bird — and the Iriomote cat.