A 13-meter (43-feet) river in Nachikatsuura-cho in Wakayama Prefecture was deemed the shortest river in Japan on the 17th.

The 13m Butsu Butsu-gawa is a tributary stream which flows into the Konoshiro-gawa.  Its width is only around a meter.  The Butsu Butsu was classified a class II river which means its administration will now be handled by the prefecture.  The plan is to preserve the river and its surrounding area and to make it a sightseeing attraction.

The Hidaka-gawa also in Wakayama is the longest class II river in Japan so the governor of Wakayama suggested promoting this distinction of the longest and shortest class II rivers all over the country.