Karst plateau in western Japan named UNESCO Global Geopark

The designation, decided by the executive board of the specialized UN agency, was announced by Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology on Thursday.

UNESCO's Global Geopark program is aimed at protecting and utilizing areas with outstanding geological and topographical features of international significance.

Mine-Akiyoshidai in the city of Mine in Yamaguchi Prefecture is the 11th UNESCO Global Geopark in Japan.

It followed the 2023 designation of the Hakusan Tedorigawa area in the city of Hakusan, Ishikawa Prefecture, central Japan, as the nation's 10th UNESCO Global Geopark.

Mine-Akiyoshidai covers the whole of Mine, featuring the Akiyoshidai plateau, made of dissolved limestone, and Akiyoshido, one of the largest limestone caves in the country.

It also includes the site of a copper mine dating back to the Nara period in the eighth century.

Copper produced at the mine played an important role in Japanese society and culture at the time, such as being used for the huge Buddha statue at the Todaiji temple in the western prefecture of Nara.

Todaiji is one of the assets comprising the Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara, a UNESCO World Heritage site.