[Cooperative Council for Certified Starry Sky Reserves] [Cooperative Council for Certified Starry Sky Reserves] Starts!
*Starry Sky Reserve Certification Area Cooperation Council*
Press release: September 20, 2024
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[Starry Sky Reserve Certified Area Collaboration Council] Starts! *A kick-off event to celebrate the launch of the council will be held at Tourism EXPO Japan 2024! *
As of Wednesday, September 18, 2020, the “Starry Sky Reserve Certification Area Collaboration Council” was established as a collaborative organization of domestic certified areas of Starry Sky Reserve (R), an international certification system.
This council works together with local governments that have jurisdiction over certified starry sky protected areas to promote light pollution awareness in Japan, further disseminate the starry sky protected area certification system, improve recognition as certified areas, and promote various initiatives. The purpose is to attract more customers by utilizing the starry sky resources owned by the region. Until now, certified areas have cooperated to jointly exhibit poster panels and create awareness pamphlets, but with the establishment of this council, we will strengthen cooperation between certified areas and take advantage of economies of scale. We will continue to expand our business.
● Constituent municipalities
[Kozushima Village, Tokyo]
* ☆Starry Sky Reserve (Dark Sky Island) *Certified in December 2020* Since 2017, Kozushima Village has been running a project called “Marugoto Planetarium” run by the NPO Kozushima Tourism Association. has been used for tourism. As a result of these efforts, we decided to work toward certification as a starry sky reserve with the aim of “preserving the beautiful starry skies of Kozushima for our children and grandchildren” and with the support of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s Treasure Island Project. In December 2019, the “Kozushima Starry Sky Park Ordinance” and the “Light Pollution Prevention Ordinance to Protect the Beautiful Starry Sky of Kozushima Village” were enacted. They came into effect in January 2020. Based on this ordinance, local residents We are working on environmental protection such as awareness-raising activities, protection of flora and fauna, and reduction of CO2 through energy-saving street lighting.
[Ibara City, Okayama Prefecture]
* ☆Starry Sky Reserve (Dark Sky Community) *Certified in November 2021* Bisei Town in Ibara City was the first in the country to enact a light pollution prevention ordinance in November 1989, long before SDGs were advocated, and the community has been working together to protect the beautiful starry sky. More than 30 years have passed since the ordinance was enacted, and concerns have begun to be raised about a weakening of local awareness of light pollution prevention, an increase in outdoor lighting, and upward light leakage. In order to maintain the town’s environment into the future, Ibara City and the Bisei Town Tourism Association have decided to aim for certification as a “Starry Sky Sanctuary” and have amended the ordinance and replaced outdoor lighting to meet the certification standards. I did. Even after being certified, we have been working on educational activities for elementary and junior high schools and educational activities for residents, and we will continue to raise awareness of light pollution countermeasures and protect and nurture Bisei Town’s beautiful starry sky as a role model for other areas.
[Ono City, Fukui Prefecture]
(C)hiroaki2410
* ☆Starry Sky Reserve (Urban Night Sky Place) *Certified in August 2023* Ono City has been selected as the most beautiful starry sky in Japan for two consecutive years, in 2004 and 2005, in the National Starry Sky Observation conducted by the Ministry of the Environment. We are currently working on countermeasures against light pollution so that future children can continue to see this starry sky. Ono City, aiming to be certified as a starry sky reserve, has replaced all security lights managed by the ward in the Minamirokuroshi area and outdoor lighting at facilities owned by the city and prefecture with ones that are resistant to light pollution. In addition, in order to raise awareness about light pollution, we are conducting dissemination and awareness-raising activities, such as holding lectures at elementary schools and community centers in the city. Furthermore, for about a month starting in July every year, we collaborate with private companies, citizens, and others to turn off the lights and enjoy the night sky under the banner of “Lights Down in Star City – Bringing Japan’s Best Starry Sky to the Future”. We are implementing this while making a profit.
●Kick-off event held for “Starry Sky Reserve Certified Area
Collaboration Council”
[Exhibition of “Japan’s Starry Sky Reserve” booth] *Inside Tourism EXPO Japan 2024
Implementation date: September 26th (Thursday) to 29th (Sunday), 2024 *26th and 27th are industry days
*28th and 29th are general days (paid)
Venue: Tokyo Big Sight East Hall 5 (Starry Sky Tourism Corner) Inside
Content: Domestic certified starry sky reserves (Kozushima Village, Tokyo, Ibara City, Okayama Prefecture, Ono City, Fukui Prefecture) are collaborating with “Tourism EXPO Japan 2024”, the world’s largest travel festival, to create “Japan’s Starry Sky Reserves”. Under the theme of “Starry Sky Reserve Certification System”, we will be exhibiting a booth with the aim of further disseminating the Starry Sky Reserve Certification System and promoting the appeal of certified areas in Japan. Inside the booth, staff from each certified location will gather to introduce initiatives in each region, display lighting that is friendly to the starry sky, experience stargazing using VR, and distribute pamphlets and novelty items from each certified location. Masu.
[Stage event held] *Inside Tourism EXPO Japan 2024
Implementation date and time: Sunday, September 29, 2024,
13:50-14:20-30 minutes-
Venue: Tokyo Big Sight A Stage (East 4th Hall)
Inside
As a kick-off event for the Starry Sky Sanctuary Certified Area Collaboration Council, we invited special guest Tomoe Shinohara, a designer and artist with deep knowledge of astronomy and space, to perform on a special stage. Together with the heads of certified areas, we will communicate the efforts and appeal of domestic certified areas to protect beautiful starry skies.
●What is Starry Sky Reserve (R)?
This is an international certification system that evaluates the preservation of the “dark natural night sky” = “beautiful starry sky” based on global standards.
Dark Sky International (formerly the International Dark Sky
Association) recognizes regions that are making excellent efforts to protect and preserve dark, beautiful night skies free from light pollution.
Certified as Dark Sky Places = Starry Sky Reserves.
Certification requires meeting strict standards regarding outdoor lighting, local efforts to protect the dark night sky, and creating an environment where people (including visitors) can experience the night sky.
*’Starry Sky Reserve (R)’ is a registered trademark of the Starry Sky Protection Promotion Organization (DPA). ”
●Contact information regarding this matter
Starry Sky Reserve Certified Area Collaboration Council Secretariat (Tokyo Metropolitan Kozushima Village Office, Industry and Tourism Division, Tourism, Commerce and Industry Section)
TEL: 04992-8-0011 (Reception hours are weekdays 8:30-17:15)