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"The Wolf-Based Ecosystem Restoration Plan - January 1999 to 2023" In the late 1990s, a plan was proposed to introduce Chinese wolves as a replacement for the extinct Japanese wolf. The goal was to protect Japan's ecosystems and prevent forest degradation caused by increasing deer populations. Excessive deer populations are destroying vegetation, particularly in Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture; Shiretoko, Hokkaido; and Odaigahara, Nara Prefecture. This has caused annual soil erosion of 500 tons in Nikko and 200 tons in the Kii Mountains. In 2021, the Ministry of the Environment established the "Wolf Reintroduction Study Committee." By 2023, the deer population nationwide had reached approximately 3 million, making population management an urgent priority. In Wakayama and Nagano Prefectures, approximately 200 kilometers of electric fencing has been installed to address local farmers' concerns, and GPS tracking systems have also been introduced. According to estimates by environmenta
l protection groups, reintroducing wolves is expected to reduce annual environmental conservation costs by 500 million yen and generate regional economic benefits from ecotourism amounting to 2 billion yen annually.