Blue Economy Suruga Bay International Roundtable
Proposal
May 13, 2023

Key Points of the Proposal➢

The promotion of new capitalism, especially the creation of new industries
originating from local regions, is an urgent issue for the Japanese economy.
Meanwhile, the ocean is of growing international importance as a policy field fromthe perspectives of environmental conservation, economic development, andsecurity. The ocean is an important area for the creation of local industries.

➢ We expect the following initiatives under the leadership of the government.
1.

Japan should show its leadership to the world by presenting a maritime versionof the Digital Garden City State concept as a model in an internationalframework.

2.

To create an organization that will serve as a platform for national leadership on
sustainable marine conservation and development, such as “the Council for theFuture of the Sea”, to serve as a driving force

1.

3.

As a concrete showcase, the government should be actively involved in the Suruga
はじめに 「新しい資本主義を海洋の世界で実現」
Bay Smart Ocean Concept, an advanced initiative that is underway.

Exective Summery1.

Introduction "Realization of new capitalism in the ocean world"The oceans are of increasing importance in this century in terms ofenvironmental protection, economic activity, and national and regional security. Inparticular, the ocean's ability to absorb CO2 is essential to achieving carbon neutrality.
At the same time, the ocean is positioned as a "Commons" shared by humankind,and its conservation and utilization are characterized by the common interests ofhumanity. And the potential economic power of ocean-related industries has attracted
global attention in recent years. In Japan, a policy to realize a new capitalism from thelocal level has been put forth, and activating economic activities that contribute to themaintenance of a sustainable marine environment from the local level is an effective
direction to take.
Therefore, it is strongly expected that the "marine version" of the government's
Digital Garden City initiatives will be implemented to realize marine conservation
while solving the problems of declining population, aging society, and hollowing out ofindustry in the regions, with the theme of a sustainable marine environment rich inboth people and nature, and that these pioneering efforts in the regions will be widely
spread throughout the country and the world. It is strongly hoped that thesepioneering efforts by local communities will be widely disseminated throughout thecountry and the world.
2.

Direction Japan should take
The oceans play a major role in the global environment, but there is much that isscientifically unexplored. The United Nations has designated the decade beginning in
2021 as the " United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development"
and is promoting scientific efforts on the oceans in order to achieve the SDGs. With asense of speed, it is important to acquire diverse ocean data (physical, chemical,biological, and environmental data), analyze and visualize them as digital big datausing AI, create new industries, develop the blue economy (ocean-related industries
and economy), and promote both environmental conservation and economic growth. In
particular, a large ripple effect can be expected from the acquisition of information on
ships, ports, and weather, and from the centralized management of information not
only on the sea and sea surface, but also under the sea (ocean transformation).
Japan, as a maritime superpower, should show leadership and take the lead inpromoting initiatives toward a sustainable blue economy and the establishment of a
global network. In particular, it is important to contribute to the development of theIndo-Pacific region, and cooperation on the blue economy by Japan and other developed
countries with ASEAN countries, which are maritime nations, will greatly contribute to
the development of the Indo-Pacific region. In the Middle East and the increasingly
important African countries, there are great expectations for a sustainable blue
economy, including fisheries and port development, and the G7 countries should work
for international cooperation in these areas.
To this end, the wisdom of Japan's industry, academia, and government should bebrought together to promote major changes in ocean policy and ocean transformation,
which will require integrated efforts by a wide range of ocean-related government
agencies, industry, and academia. It is also conceivable that a new, cross-sectoral andintegrated ocean-related field that can serve as a driving force, such as the creation of astrong governmental body to promote the ocean, or a cross-sectoral academic societythat addresses marine environmental DNA, for example, should be established. The
industrial sector should also establish a forum for information exchange not only at theleadership level but also at the working level, with "ocean" as the keyword, and engage

in discussions and practices that transcend the boundaries between industries andbetween industry, government, academia, and money. This should promote the creationof new industries in the areas of energy, environment, aquaculture, underwater
robotics, information and communication, and biotechnology.
In order to realize the Blue Economy, a center for research promotion and humanresource development should be formed to enable the consolidation of international
knowledge about the ocean and to promote the demonstration of advanced approaches.
Based on this base, the formation of "blue tech industry clusters" (i.e., various oceanrelated industrial clusters), which are being promoted in Europe and the U.S., should
be promoted from the local level.
3.

Specific initiatives
In order to realize the above, it is important to promote national government-led

projects to form an international blue economy hub. In Japan, the "Marine Open
Innovation Project" will start in 2019 in Shizuoka Prefecture, and the "Suruga Bay
Smart Ocean Concept" has been proposed by the Suruga Bay Smart Ocean Diet
Members Association, which aims to realize the digitalization of the ocean using
Suruga Bay as a test bed. It is expected that these efforts will be promoted andpresented as a model both domestically and internationally. Fuji, the highest mountainin Japan, Suruga Bay has the deepest ocean in Japan, rich and diverse biologicalresources, and the Port of Shimizu is a port of call for JAMSTEC's Chikyu, and is also apromising candidate as a base for the Arctic research vessel under construction. WithSuruga Bay at its core, research linking the five oceans of the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian,Arctic, and Antarctic Oceans will be advanced, and it is expected to develop as a blue
tech center in the future.
In addition, for the formation of a blue economy center, deregulation of the oceans,in which various governments are involved, for example through demonstration zones,
should enable smooth promotion.
Furthermore, in order to accelerate such a movement, Japan should present its
presence both domestically and internationally by promptly promoting the continuous
holding of the Blue Economy EXPO (tentative name) as a leading initiative by Japan.
4.

Toward a marine version of the Digital Garden City State initiatives
The promotion of new capitalism, especially the creation of new industries

originating from local regions, is an urgent issue for the Japanese economy. The need topromote DX in Japan is also indisputable. The promotion of the Digital Garden City

State concept is an important measure that will empower local regions and benefit
Japan as a whole. Meanwhile, the ocean is becoming more and more importantinternationally as a policy field from the perspectives of environmental conservation,economic development, and national security.
We believe that it is important for the government of Japan to exercise its
leadership and take the following actions.
First, within the international framework, including the Indo-Pacific region,
Japan should demonstrate its leadership by presenting a marine version of the Digital
Garden City State concept to the world, especially the Global South, as a model forachieving environmental conservation and economic development at the same time,and by demonstrating its efforts in the field of high quality. Next, we will work with avariety of government and industrial sectors,Secondly, to create an organization that will serve as a platform for national
leadership in the sustainable conservation and development of the oceans, which isrelevant to various administrative, industrial, and academic sectors, such as theCouncil for the Future of the Oceans, and to serve as a driving force behind thisorganization,
Furthermore, as a concrete showcase for the realization of these goals, we hopethat the government will be actively involved in the Suruga Bay Smart Ocean Concept,
which is being promoted as an advanced initiative.
The Round Table members gathered here in Shizuoka recommend that thenational government work to realize a marine version of the Digital Garden City State
Concept as soon as possible. We also declare that we will continue to cooperate andtake action to develop the Suruga Bay Smart Ocean Initiative and move in the above
direction.

This proposal is the result of discussions by the following roundtable members.
Eiichiro Adachi, Managing Director, The Japan Research Institute, Limited
Chris Bowler, Tara Ocean Project, President of Statione Zoologica Anton Dohrn atNaples Italy
Carlos M. Duarte

Blue carbon proponent, KAUST Distinguished Professor

Junko Edahiro, President, Future Creation Department, Representative Director, Blue
Carbine Network
Michael Jones, Founder and Board Chair, TMA Blue Tech, USA, and Managing
Partner SubSeaSail LLC
Susumu Kajiwara, Dean, School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute ofTechnology
Takehiko Kawazoe, Executive Vice President, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone
Corporation, in charge of research and development
Kikuo Kishimoto, Director, Technology Strategy Research Center, New Energy andIndustrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO)
Ichiro Nakayama, President, Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency
Kei Sakaguchi, Professor, School of Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology
Atsushi Sunami, President, Sasagawa Peace Foundation
Asahiko Taira, General Director, Institute of Oceanic Research and Development, TokaiUniversity
Shiki Takeuchi, COO Innoca Co., Ltd. (University-launched venture)
Haruko Takeyama, Professor, Waseda University
Hiroyuki Yamato, Chairman of the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science andTechnology (JAMSTEC)
Chair: Takashi Gojobori, General Director, Research Institute of MaOI Institute
Co-Chair: Masahiro Hashimoto, General Producer of MaOI InstituteKatsuhiko Mineta, Director, Research Institute of MaOI InstituteOrganizerTadashi Matsunaga, President, MaOI Institute, Former President of JAMSTEC
Heita Kawakatsu, Governor, Shizuoka Prefecture
Takashi Namba, Mayor, Shizuoka City
Yohei Suzuki, Chairperson, Marine Culture and Research Hub Promotion Council
Guests of honor
Yoko Kamikawa, a Member of the House of Representatives,and other members
Government Officials of Cabinet Office, MEXT, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure,
Transport and Tourism, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, etc.