World's northernmost coral reef in Japan bleached

18/07/2017 06h29 GMT Bleaching of the world's northernmost coral reef in Japan.-AFP

Tokyo (AFP) - Bleaching has damaged the world's northernmost coral reef in Japan, a researcher said Tuesday, the latest example of a global phenomenon scientists have attributed to high ocean temperatures.

Healthy coral reefs protect shores from storms and offer habitats for fish and other marine life, including ecologically and economically important species.