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Small Fish, Big Mission to Protect Biodiversity in Japan | Takeda Stories

Small Fish

Small Fish, Big Mission to Protect Biodiversity in Japan

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January 23, 2025
Watch the three-minute video to see how we are helping to recreate the ecosystem of a lost lake to save the rare Kawabata moroko fish.

"I've been watching over them since they were eggs, so… it's like I've become a sort of fish parent."

Kaoru Ishikawa from the Kyoto Aquarium expresses his affection for a small fish called Kawabata moroko.

The fish, which primarily inhabited Oguraike Lake, is vanishing in Kyoto due to climate change and land development, and is now rarely seen in the wild. Oguraike Lake disappeared due to development projects aimed at reducing flood damage and improving people's livelihoods.

Tomoyo Otsuka

Tomoyo Otsuka, a curator at the Uji City History Document Museum

Tomoyo Otsuka, a curator at the Uji City History Document Museum, explains, “Construction work around the lake reduced the risk of major disasters, such as flooding of the rice fields and farmland. However, it stopped the flow of fresh water, which led to a decline in water quality and ultimately the decision to drain the lake altogether.”

While the land was repurposed for agricultural use and made significant contributions to Japan's food supply, the diverse creatures that once called Oguraike Lake home lost their habitat. The Kawabata moroko fish saw its population decline significantly and is now listed as an endangered species by the Ministry of the Environment.

Helping to preserve biodiversity

The Takeda Garden for Medicinal Plant Conservation in Kyoto is collaborating with the local aquarium and museum to take on the challenge of preserving biodiversity. Their initiatives include growing plants to help recreate the lost environment of the lake and protect the Kawabata moroko fish, organizing exhibitions of rare fish and plants and hosting garden tours to highlight the importance of biodiversity.

Kaoru Ishikawa

Kaoru Ishikawa, the Kyoto Aquarium

Kaoru from the aquarium says, “This is not about just protecting one species. It’s the intricate connections between all species that make sustainable life on Earth possible for everyone.” Reflecting on the collaboration with Takeda, he adds, “There’s a shared passion and underlying bond with living things at the root of what we do… I feel that we’re all in this together.”
Yuki Uemura

Yuki Uemura, The Takeda Garden for Medicinal Plant Conservation in Kyoto

Yuki Uemura, who leads this project for Takeda, explains, “When a species goes extinct, it disrupts the balance of the ecosystem, potentially making it difficult for human activities to continue as well.” He adds, “With the value of ‘integrity’ that we hold dear, I want to ensure that we pass on the importance of biodiversity to future generations.”