Selected Papers

24

No.

December 2019

Director's Message
As mankind moves through the 21st century, integrated policies of ocean governanceare increasingly necessary for the sustainable development and use of our oceans andtheir resources and for the protection of the marine environment.
Towards this end, the Ocean Policy Research Institute (OPRI) of the Sasakawa Peace
Foundation orients its research on ocean issues in line with the mission statement "Living in Harmony with the Oceans."
OPRI aims to conduct cross-sectoral research in ocean related issues in order to initiate debate on marine topics and to formulate both domestic and international policy
proposals.
We publish a Japanese-language newsletter titled the "Ocean Newsletter" (previously
known as "Ship & Ocean Newsletter") twice a month. "Ocean Newsletter Selected
Papers No.24" contains English-language versions of papers from the Japanese Newsletter edition, published from No.431 (2018.7.20) to No.450 (2019.5.5). The Ocean
Newsletter seeks to provide people of diverse viewpoints and backgrounds with aforum for discussion and to contribute to the formulation of maritime policies conducive to coexistence between mankind and the ocean.
Our Institute believes that the Newsletter can expand effective communication onthese issues by introducing timely research abroad to an informed readership. It also
welcomes responses from readers, some of which appear in the Newsletter.
It is our sincere hope that these Selected Papers will provide useful insights on policy
debate in Japan and help to foster global policy dialogue on various ocean issues.
Atsushi SUNAMI
President■T h e N ew s l e t t e r E d i t ori al Com m i t t e e●Chief Editors

Kaoru KUBOKAWA

Visiting Professor, Strategic Innovation Research Center, Teikyo University

Shigeki SAKAMOTO

Professor, Faculty of Law, Doshisha University●Members

Tomoya AKIMICHI

Director-General, Yamanashi Prefectural Fujisan World Heritage Center

Naoya OKUWAKI

President, Japan Society of Ocean Policy

Shin KISUGIExecutive Trustee, President, The Open University of Japan / President, Japanese Association for Coastal Zone Studies

Shinji SATO

Professor, Graduate School of Engineering, Kochi University of Technology

Hideyuki SUZUKI

Professor, Department of Systems Innovation, The University of Tokyo

Minako TAKIZAWA
Science Journalist

Kunio MIYASHITA

Professor, Department of Foreign Studies, Kansai Gaidai University

Toshio YAMAGATA

President, Japan Marine Science Foundation

Haruko YAMASHITA

Professor, Department of Economics, Daito Bunka University■P u b l i s h e r

Atsushi SUNAMI

President, Ocean Policy Research Institute of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation (OPRI-SPF)

The Ocean Policy Research Institute of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation(OPRI-SPF)
The Sasakawa Peace Foundation Bldg., 1-15-16 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo, JAPAN 105-8524
Tel. 81-3-5157-5210 / Fax. 81-3-5157-5230 E-mail. oceannewsletter@spf.or.jp
URL. https://www.spf.org/_opri/©2019 The Ocean Policy Research Institute of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation
Ocean Newsletter
Selected Papers / No.24●2

Contents
Towards “Zero” Greenhouse Gas Emissions from International Shipping
Hideaki SAITO

Director, Shipbuilding and Ship Machinery Division, Maritime Bureau, MLIT / Chair, Marine Environment Protection Committee,
International Maritime Organization4(Ocean Newsletter No. 431, 20 July 2018)

Protecting Palau's Oceans through Disposal of Explosive Remnants of War (ERW)
Yasuo TERADA

6

Japan Mine Action Service (JMAS) Palau(Ocean Newsletter No. 432, 5 August 2018)

What Environmental DNA Brings to the Future of the Oceans
Reiji MASUDA

8Associate Professor, Field Science Education and Research Center, Kyoto University(Ocean Newsletter No. 435, 20 September 2018)

Development of an Underwater Floating-type Ocean Current Power Generation Systemand the Demonstration Sea-trial
Shigeki NAGAYAManager, IHI Corporation

10(Ocean Newsletter No. 437, 20 October 2018)

Creation of the 2nd Taketomi Basic Plan on Ocean Policy:
A town living in harmony with Churaumi (beautiful ocean)
Taichiro TOUJI

Director, Policy Promotion Division, Taketomi Town Government, Okinawa Prefecture

13(Ocean Newsletter No. 438, 5 November 2018)24

S e l e c t e d P a p e r s No.

December 2019

On the Utilization of Water Transportation in Tokyo Bay
Hajime TABATA

President and Representative Director, Tokyo Water Taxi, Inc.

15

(Ocean Newsletter No. 440, 5 December 2018)

Launch of the Japan Coast Guard Mobile Cooperation Team (MCT)
Akira KURAMOTO

Director for Coast Guard International Cooperation, Administration Department, Japan Coast Guard

17(Ocean Newsletter No. 441, 20 December 2018)

The World Maritime University—Sasakawa Global Ocean Institute:
A New Institute in a Unique University
Ronan LONG

Director, WMU-Sasakawa Global Ocean Institute, World Maritime University

20(Ocean Newsletter No. 442, 5 January 2019)

Efforts towards the Creation of an Oyster Farming Pipe Utilizing Biodegradable Plastics
Kengo FUKUDA

Division Head, Second Operations Division, UMI & NAGISA Foundation

23(Ocean Newsletter No. 447, 20 March 2019)

The Kuroshio Large Meander and its Impacts
Toru MIYAMA

Senior Scientist, Application Laboratory, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC)

26(Ocean Newsletter No. 448, 5 April 2019)Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency’s Contribution to SDGs:
Promotion of the SH“U”N Project
Yoshioki OOZEKI

Senior Advisor, Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency

29(Ocean Newsletter No. 450, 5 May 2019)●The affiliation of the author and the contents of the article are exactly as they appear in the Ocean Newsletter.

Ocean Newsletter
Selected Papers / No.24●3

Towards “Zero” Greenhouse Gas Emissions from International
Shipping[KEYWORDS] International Maritime Organization (IMO) / global warming countermeasures / maritime industry

Hideaki SAITO
Director, Shipbuilding and Ship Machinery Division, Maritime Bureau, MLIT / Chair, Marine Environment Protection Committee, International Maritime Organization(Ocean Newsletter No. 431, 20 July 2018)

With growing worldwide momentum towards de-carbonization following adoption of the Paris
Agreement in 2015, the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping is apressing issue of the utmost importance to international society. Given this, the following article
is to provide the details of the "Strategy on the reduction of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions
from Ships" adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in April 2018, as well as
the status and future perspective of progress at the IMO to develop GHG emissions reduction
measures.

Current Status of GHG Emissions from International Shipping
Most of the greenhouse gases (GHG) emitted from international shipping are CO2, and according to a 2014 survey
by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), 2012
emissions were about 800 million tons. This is about 2.2%of the total amount of CO2 emitted by the entire world. In
addition, against the backdrop of the growth of the world
economy, as the world's demand for maritime transport is
likely to continue to increase, so will CO2 emissions frominternational shipping.
Global warming countermeasures for the entire world
are discussed in the United Nations Framework Convention
on Climate Change (UNFCCC). However, for international
shipping and international aviation sectors which operate
across the borders, it is not possible to determine whichcountry should be responsible for emissions from each shipor aircraft, and thus the UNFCCC's country-specific frameworks for reduction measures cannot work in these sectors.
Therefore, consideration of these sectors has been entrusted
to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
and the IMO, specialized agencies of the United Nations,
respectively. As described below, the IMO has been actively
promoting GHG reductions in international shipping, suchas introducing global fuel efficiency regulations ahead ofother sectors. On the other hand, the UNFCCC adopted theParis Agreement in 2015, which established a global longterm temperature goal, and requires both developed anddeveloping countries to set reduction targets (Nationally
Determined Contributions) with the aim to meet the goalin a collective manner. At the ICAO, reduction targets wereagreed upon in 2013. Therefore, international community
was taking a harder stance towards international shipping,because IMO had not set any worldwide reduction targets.
In such situation, adoption of global emissions reduction
target in international shipping sector had been an urgent
issue of the highest priority.

Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Mea-sures at IMO/MEPC
GHG emissions reduction measures for international
shipping are deliberated in the IMO's Marine Environment
Protection Committee (MEPC). The MEPC deliberates onmatters related to prevention and regulation of marine pollution from ships, including not just GHGs, but also sulfur
oxide (SOx) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions reductions, ballast water management, and oil pollution countermeasures. There are many matters that have an extremely
large impact on the maritime industry, and the committee isreceiving a high degree of attention from the entire interna-

The author (center) working on MEPC proceedings.

tional community.
Japan has been actively engaged in IMO discussions
on marine environment protection from the viewpoint ofstrengthening sustainability of the international maritime
society through its technical expertise based on its maritime industries including shipping, shipbuilding and shipmachineries
As a specific IMO initiative to reduce GHG emissions
from international shipping, fuel efficiency regulations tobe applied equally across the world, both for developed
and developing countries, began in 2013. These regulations
require newbuilt ships to calculate the Energy Efficiency
Design Indexes (EEDI) and meet the mandatory standards.
The EEDI requirements have been continuously strengthOcean Newsletter
Selected Papers / No.24●4

Towards “Zero” Greenhouse Gas Emissions from International Shippingof international shipping at least by 40% by 2030, reduce
GHG emissions at least by 50% by 2050, and ultimately
aim for phasing out GHG emissions as early as possible
during 21st century; (2) list of candidate short, medium, andlong-term measures including measures to improve technical and operational energy efficiency of ships, market-based
measures and introduction of zero-carbon or fossil-freefuels into the shipping sectors; and (3) guiding principles
such as implementing mandatory measures regardless offlags, consideration on impact of measures on States andthe need for evidence-based decision making.

Future Outlook
MEPC deliberations.

ened in phased approach. Compared to the original standard
applied in 2013, it was strengthened by 10% in 2015 (phaseI), by 20% 2020 (phase II), and by 30-50% in 2022 or 2025
based on ship size and type (phase III). In addition to theseregulations, all ocean-going ships, including existing ships,
are obliged to develop a Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP).
Furthermore, in 2019, IMO started a fuel consumption
performance reporting system that requires ships engaged
in international voyage to report fuel consumption, voyage
distance, and voyage time to the IMO every year (this has
effects to promote reduction of GHG emissions from shipsby acknowledging the annual fuel consumption performance of each ship).
In addition, after approximately one and a half yearsof negotiations, the "Initial IMO Strategy on GHG Emissions Reduction" was adopted in April 2018, which defines
GHG reduction targets and candidate measures to achieve
them. This strategy is the world's first commitment to aim
for phasing out GHG emissions in this Century in a single
industrial sector, worldwide. The three main points of the
GHG reduction strategy are: (1) to improve fuel efficiency

By adopting this GHG reduction strategy, the IMO has
demonstrated the international shipping sector’s commitment to the international community. On the other hand,unless the reduction targets are achieved, they will only
be a "pie in the sky." From this point of view, the IMO has
only just arrived at the starting line, and the substantial discussion toward adoption of new GHG reduction measuresto achieve the targets has just began at MEPC. This year,
MEPC has just approved further strengthened EEDI regulation on new ships. Besides, a number of the IMO member
States have already submitted proposals on new measures,
including mandatory energy efficiency requirements on
existing ships, mandatory operational speed limit and mandatory audit scheme on ship operation. Through the 4th
GHG Study to be initiated this year and impact assessmentof the proposed measures, IMO will finalize and agree theshort-term measure by 2023. In aiming for early action,
potential early measures could be developed to achieve further reduction of GHG emissions before 2023.
In closing, I would like to ask for the support and cooperation of all concerned parties both from the industry andthe public sectors to the ongoing work at the IMO to establish global frameworks contributing to sustainable future ofmaritime sector.
■■Initial IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships

Ocean Newsletter
Selected Papers / No.24●5

Protecting Palau's Oceans through Disposal of Explosive
Remnants of War (ERW)[KEYWORDS] unexploded munitions disposal / conservation of ocean areas / international contributions

Yasuo TERADA
Japan Mine Action Service (JMAS) Palau(Ocean Newsletter No. 432, 5 August 2018)

In Palau, the non-governmental organization Japan Mine Action Service (JMAS) has been working
to dispose of explosive remnants of war (ERW) since 2012. For example, the outsides of many
depth charges (weapons for anti-submarine warfare) remaining on the Japanese cargo vessel known
as Helmet Wreck have rotted in the 70 years since the war, releasing the poisonous picric acid.
As this acid has negative impacts on the water condition in the gulf, JMAS took efforts to prevent
this up until 2015. Currently, the organization deals with monitoring and disposing ERW found on
sunken ships and in shallow waters and in securing safety in the oceans.

Japan Mine Action Service (JMAS)Japan Mine Action Service (JMAS) is a designated nonprofit organization (NPO) that has been certified by the
Tokyo Metropolitan Government, and is sometimes referred
to as an NGO because of its activities. Japan Ground Self
Defense Force retirees set up the organization in 2002
and immediately started the Cambodia unexploded bomb
disposal program. After that, the organization has worked
in Afghanistan, Angola, and Pakistan. At present, the organization is involved in a comprehensive machinery project
related to landmine and unexploded bomb disposal in Cambodia's Kampong Thom Province, a regional development
promotion project that includes landmine and unexploded
shell disposal in Banteay Meanchey Province, a "Safe Village Construction" comprehensive community development project in Battambang Province, a cluster munitions
processing mechanization project in Laos's Xiangkhouang
Province, a project to deal with unexploded munitions in
Palau, and the Oil Leakage Countermeasures Project forWorld War II Wrecks in Truk Lagoon Marine Area, Federated States of Micronesia” (Chuuk State).
With the exception of the "Safe Village Construction"
project in Cambodia, the organization is funded as partof Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) andis expected to contribute to the Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs), a global standard set by the United Nations.

Explosive Remnants of War
A basic bomb mechanism operates through the combination of an explosive charge, which is the center of the
explosive power, and a fuse that ignites it. Normally, when
the bomb is not used, the explosive charge and the fuse are
separated to prevent the bomb from exploding unexpectedly, which allows the bomb to be stored safely.
What are commonly referred to as unexploded ordinanceare either unexploded or abandoned ordinance. Unexploded
Ordinance (UXO) are bombs that did not explode eventhough a fuse was attached to the explosive charge for use
in combat. Abandoned Explosive Ordnance (AXO) are

Investigating depth charges in shallow water.

munitions that have been abandoned or left unattended
because of withdrawal or disarmament, etc. In many cases
AXOs had not been used and, usually, a fuse was not
attached.
UXO and AXO are collectively defined as Explosive
Remnants of War (ERW), but both ERW and UXO are usedin the same way as terms for unexploded munitions.

Unexploded Munitions in Palau
After World War I, Palau became a Japanese mandate
from a German colony, the Nan’yo Cho (Territorial Government of the South Seas) and its Palau Branch were
established, and Palau became the core island of the South
Pacific Islands. Palau became an important base for theJapanese Navy when World War II began, and was therefore subject to attack by the U.S. military. On March 30 and
31, 1944, aircraft launched from U.S. Navy aircraft carriers attacked ships and ground facilities, dropping mines in
Palau's harbor and surrounding waterways. This was the socalled Palau Air Raid. As a result, every ship berthed on thatday was sunk while at anchor.
JMAS Palau is currently dealing with unexploded bombs
and shells used by the U.S. military, as well as abandoned
bombs left in the sea, which were at the time mounted onJapanese ships that sank. In the three years from 2012 to
Ocean Newsletter
Selected Papers / No.24●6

Protecting Palau's Oceans through Disposal of Explosive Remnants of War (ERW)
2015, JMAS dealt with the depth charges loaded on a ship
known as the Helmet Wreck, which sank in water that is
30m deep and 1km off the coast of Malakal Port, Palau's
only commercial port. Helmet Wreck is a tentative nameand was a transport ship used by the Japanese military, but
the ship's real name is unknown. A depth charge is a bombthat attacks submarines; it is dropped from a ship into thewater and when reaching a set depth, the fuse is activatedand it explodes.
The depth charges were disposed of because 70 years
after the war, the depth charge containers in the water hadcorroded and cracked. Picric acid, which is a toxic explosive
charge, was leaking from the inside and having an adverse
effect on the environment. In 2013 the Palau government
asked the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian
Demining (GICHD) in Switzerland to conduct an environmental survey. As a result of the survey, two depth charges,
which had fuses attached and were leaking picric acid, were
removed from the Helmet Wreck.
Permicron Guard (trade name), which hardens in water
to form a harmless plastic, was used to prevent leakage of
picric acid. Permicron Guard is used for reinforcement andrust prevention in harbors, river facilities, etc., and the components do not contain toxic substances and do not dissolve
in water. Leakage of picric acid is prevented by smearing
Permicron Guard on cracks in the depth charge containers.
In 2014, 105 depth charges were treated to prevent picricacid leakage, and the pH value of the seawater in the ship
improved from 6.80 to 8.07, which is the average value forthe ocean area, and seawater transparency increased. In
addition, signs of fish life have increased and the ecosystem is also recovering. Two depth charges with fuses weredestroyed on land in 2015. Thereafter, periodic monitoringis conducted to check for environmental abnormalities andnew picric acid leaks, and to take measures to prevent leaks.

Using Google Earth to record depth charges.

Slight leakage of picric acid continues, but it has been
suppressed to such an extent that there is almost no major
impact on the environment.
From 2016, JMAS surveyed 36 shipwrecks and unexploded munitions over approximately 700,000m2 of ocean
in depths of less than 10m in Malakal Bay and the Rock
Islands Southern Lagoon World Heritage site. Of the 36
recorded shipwrecks, 15 have been confirmed, 5 had unexploded munitions, and many depth charges, etc., were discovered, even in shallow waters.
The Palau government is trying to establish a databaseof unexploded munitions that records their location, type,
number, etc., on a map, using it as an index to ensure safety.
Initially it was registered in the Palau government's map
system, but now it uses Google Earth, which is simpler andmore generalized. The figure on the right shows shallow
water depth charges recorded in Google Earth: red marks
indicate depth charges scheduled to be disposed of, whitecircles have already been disposed of, and numbers identify
each depth charge. The situation of this unexploded ordinance is clear at a glance, and JMAS intends to dispose of
all depth charges in the area during the year.
In Palau, the Lagoon Monument legal provision requires
the obtaining of approval from the President when working
on underwater ruins. Therefore, depth charge disposal isalso carried out with the President's permission. From nextyear, JMAS intends to dispose of an estimated 165 depth
charges that are left in the Helmet Wreck. Unlike the workin shallow water, the water at Helmet Wreck reaches 30m
depth, which makes it more difficult, but we want to make■every effort to ensure that Palau is as safe as possible.

Raising a depth charge using a balloon.

● NPO Japan Mine Action Service (JMAS) https://jmas-ngo.jp/

Ocean Newsletter
Selected Papers / No.24●7

What Environmental DNA Brings to the Future of the Oceans[KEYWORDS] eDNA / visual diving survey / marine biological resources

Reiji MASUDA
Associate Professor, Field Science Education and Research Center, Kyoto University(Ocean Newsletter No. 435, 20 September 2018)

Environmental DNA analysis refers to the technology that estimates the presence and absence aswell as the biomass of organisms from DNA found in the environment. While it has only been 10
years since the birth of this technology, in freshwater areas one example of its utilization has beenin the detection of alien species. A methodology utilizing environmental DNA for the assessmentof marine biological diversity and biomass estimation has also been gaining recognition. Given
the enormous power of environmental DNA analysis, there should be careful discussions on its
appropriate use, giving due consideration to the conservation of the organisms that are its focus.

What is Environmental DNA?
Environmental DNA analysis is a technology that detects
very small amounts of DNA contained in water, thereby
detecting living organisms. Animals discharge feces andurine, and their skin may peel off, while plants can also
have parts of their leaves and stems torn off. A filter is used
to collect these things floating in the water, then DNA isextracted, amplified to the amount that can be analyzed via
PCR*1 techniques, and detected.
In the study of microorganisms, DNA identification ismore reliable than identification of shape with a microscope. Therefore, in the 1990s, the technology to filter waterand distinguish types of microorganisms by their DNA
already existed. It was in 2008 when it was first shown thateven vertebrate species could be distinguished from leftoverDNA. Regarding bullfrogs that had invaded France as analien species, the status of the habitat was determined using
DNA left in pond water. In 2011, Dr. Toshifumi Minamoto(currently Associate Professor at Kobe University) of the
Research Institute for Humanity and Nature reported thatthe DNA of each species of freshwater fish being raised ina tank could be detected from the tank’s water.
Environmental DNA analysis uses species-specific primers*2 or universal primers. The former only amplifies DNA
specific to the target species so that the species can bedetected. On the other hand, in the latter case, DNA froma wide range of organism families are amplified together
and automatically compared with DNA sequences in DNA
databases where various species are registered, to estimate
what organisms are present. Species-specific primers makeit easier to quantify specific species, but universal primers
are powerful because they can detect, at the same time, thepresence or absence of diverse organisms.

(currently Professor at Tohoku University). According toProf. Kondo, while speaking with the aforementioned Dr.
Minamoto, he thought it would be revolutionary if thistechnique could be used to evaluate the distribution anddiversity of marine biological resources.
I have been raising fish in aquariums and conducting
research while keeping records of fish seen while diving.
In Maizuru Bay, where my workplace is located, I haveconducted diving surveys twice a month for more than 16
years. Prof. Kondo invited me to give a lecture at a Ryukoku University seminar, which then created the opportunity for me to test environmental DNA technology at sea.
My first task was to confirm whether the DNA of fish
found while diving could be detected from collected seawater. When Dr. Minamoto used a species-specific primer
to examine the seawater I collected, not only fish that could
be seen while diving, such as wrasses and black sea bream,
but DNA from perch, which could be caught in the area but
which could not be seen while diving, were also detected.
Additionally, in the aquarium experiment, we also confirmed that the amount of DNA released increased as thenumber of fish increased.
In 2015, MiFish, a set of vertebrate universal primers,
was developed by Dr. Masaki Miya of the Natural History

Testing Environmental DNA at Sea
In 2012, an environmental DNA project was launched aspart of the Japan Science and Technology Agency's Strategic Basic Research Programs (CREST, at the request of
Associate Professor Michio Kondo of Ryukoku University

The author and buddy graduate students carrying out diving surveys. The right hand holds
an underwater camera, and the left an underwater notebook and a water sampling bag. The
collected water sample is carried in the buddy's catch bag. (Photo taken by Mr. Kaito Fukuda(Fukuda Kaiyo Kikaku), at Moune Bay, Kesennuma City, in March 2017)

Ocean Newsletter
Selected Papers / No.24●8

What Environmental DNA Brings to the Future of the OceansMuseum and Institute, Chiba, and others. When Dr. Miya,
who tested this on seawater from Maizuru Bay, showed me
the results and said, "These DNA have been detected," I
was shocked. Surprisingly, the results of the DNA analysisof seawater collected in the afternoon on a summer day
covered most of the fish that had been recorded throughdiving observations over long years.
With the environmental DNA meta-barcoding techniqueusing MiFish, animal species can be listed in descendingorder based on the amount of detected DNA. In the surveyof Maizuru Bay, anchovy was ranked first, followed byhorse mackerel; these are the top two fish species recorded
during diving observations. This was followed by spotted sardine, humans, yellowtail, black sea bream, etc. The
list also included many fish caught at Maizuru Port. I was
astonished again when I saw one species name at the lower
level in the list of 119 species -- Neanderthal are listed
in the 90th place. I thought that, by chance, it indicatedmyself. Being curious, I asked Dr. Miya about it, and was
relieved when he said, "They were false positives because
there is no difference between humans (Homo sapiens) andNeanderthals in the MiFish amplification area."
Environmental DNA is detected at higher concentrations
when it is closer to the source, and degrades by 70-90% in
one day after being released. Therefore, it is a technologythat can detect organisms living nearby relatively recently.
Still, it has incredible detection power when compared todiving surveys, which might overlook fish that were there
just a moment ago or hidden. I feel that my life of diving
and counting fish is like that of a Neanderthal’s, who has
been displaced by modern humans.

Uses of Environmental DNA
There are limits to environmental DNA analysis. First ofall, it does not differentiate between many small fish or one
big fish. Moreover, since even a single dead fish releases alarge amount of DNA, it is estimated in this analysis as if
there were large numbers of that fish. When a fish is eatenby another fish, a large amount of DNA is released, so sardines, which are likely to be eaten, will release a relatively
large amount of DNA. When a fish lays or fertilizes eggs,
it also releases a large amount of DNA. Of course, this may
also make it possible to investigate the location and timingof egg laying.
Environmental DNA has already been put to practicaluse to clarify the status of invading alien species, and it isalso useful for finding and conserving the habitats of rare
species. It may also be used to clarify fish migration routes.

A Kobe University student and researcher collecting seawater samples for environmental
DNA analysis from the research vessel Ryokuyo Maru, belonging to Kyoto University's Maizuru Fisheries Research Station. Work in the field is completed simply by scooping up water.
(Photo taken by author in Maizuru Bay, June 2016)

In addition, since DNA remains in sediment for a relatively
long time, it can be used to obtain information on past biological communities.
Although the technology is only 10 years old, environmental DNA has infinite potential. I think that it is one of
the missions of researchers involved in its development to
set the path for the correct use of these technologies. For
example, if this technology is used to identify places withlarge numbers of fish, then environmental DNA technology
should be considered together, as a set, with conservation.
In April 2018, the eDNA Society was established.
As stated on the Society's website*3, the Society aims to"Nurture and develop environmental DNA science as an
academic field that contributes to the well-being of all mankind, such as through sustainable use of ecosystems andenvironmental conservation," and will hold its first annual
meeting at the end of September 2018. I hope to discover
the proper use of this dream technology, which all thoseinterested in the ocean can also no doubt imagine applications to meet their various needs.
■*1 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) = Principles or techniques for amplifying specific sequences in DNA*2 DNA sites and fragments required for DNA synthesis and replication*3 eDNA Society http://ednasociety.org/

Ocean Newsletter
Selected Papers / No.24●9Development of an Underwater Floating-type Ocean Current
Power Generation System and the Demonstration Sea-trial[KEYWORDS] ocean current turbine / Kuroshio current / Kairyu

Shigeki NAGAYAManager, IHI Corporation(Ocean Newsletter No. 437, 20 October 2018)

Ocean current power, an example of ocean renewable energy, is a renewable energy technologythat aligns well with Japan's aims for effective utilization of the "Kuroshio" current.
In August 2017, IHI Corporation and the New Energy and Industrial Technology Department
Organization (NEDO) conducted an experimental test off the shore of Kuchinoshima in Kagoshima
Prefecture, and gained data that can be utilized for future operationalization. The 100kW device
is one of the largest devices for ocean currents in the world. Here, I will give an overview on theworld's first floating offshore ocean current power system.

Power Generation Using the Kuroshio Current
Japan's territorial waters and exclusive economic zone
(EEZ) are the sixth largest in the world, and the use ofmarine renewable energy in the EEZ is being actively promoted from the viewpoint of energy security and reducing
greenhouse gas emissions. In particular, the Kuroshio current (Fig. 1), which flows in the waters near Japan, is oneof the strongest ocean currents in the world, in which it isestimated that an enormous 205 GW of energy exists*1*2.
Enabling power generation from the Kuroshio current
would make it a very useful renewable energy source forJapan.
With respect to this ocean current power generation, theauthor and others started research and development of anunderwater floating-type ocean current power generation
system (Fig. 2) for a NEDO project in FY2011 as an efficient power generation device that has low power generation costs, and a power generation demonstration test in the
Kuroshio area was completed in the summer of 2017. This
article introduces an outline of it.
■Fig. 1: Example forecast by numerical analysis of the Kuroshio current's
axial distribution

The Kuroshio current passes through the Tokara Strait and enters the Pacific Ocean.

■Fig. 2:Image of a large-scale power generation farm using underwater
floating-type ocean current power generation systems

Features of Underwater Floating Ocean current power Generation Systems
Marine currents must have the following characteristics
in order to realize power generation from them: few dailyor seasonal fluctuations in the speed and direction of theflow; a large current about 100km wide off the East China
Sea and the Pacific Ocean, and; a flow near the sea surface
in a sea area with a depth of several hundred meters.*3 Inorder to generate power from such an ocean current, theunderwater floating ocean current power generation system
has the following characteristics:(1) The goal is to achieve the capacity factor of 60% or
higher, which is extremely high for renewable energy, due
to being able to continuously use energy from stable ocean
currents for a long time. This stable power supply can also
be expected to be a base load power source.
(2) The floating body with turbine is moored to the bottom of the sea with a mooring line, and floating in the sea
by the marine current as if it were a kite (Fig. 3). It can easily be installed in deep water by extending the mooring line,
so it is possible to set a wide range of installable sea areas
and to deploy large-scale power generation farms with alarge number of power generators.
In addition, because they are all underwater, they can be
Ocean Newsletter
Selected Papers / No.24●10

Development of an Underwater Floating-type Ocean Current Power Generation Systemand the Demonstration Sea-trial■Fig. 3:Conceptual diagram of an underwater floating ocean current power
generation system

operated at a stable depth without being affected by waves,and they will not interfere with ship navigation. Furthermore, since it is possible to use simple mooring, the ease of
installation also contributes to cost reduction.
(3) The rotational torque accompanying turbine rotation can be canceled by connecting two counter-rotating
turbines, thus maintaining a stable position in the sea andenabling efficient power generation.
(4) Maintenance and repair are easy because the turbine
can be sent to the ocean surface as needed by adjusting thedirection and buoyancy of the turbine.
Taking advantage of these characteristics, it is assumed
that an actual underwater floating ocean current power
generation system would have a power output of 2MW(1,000kW x 2) per unit. A large-scale ocean current power
generation farm with a large number of them would aim toachieve a power generation cost of ¥20/kWh or less, whichis the target set for NEDO projects, and to realize a power
generation system comparable to other power generation
methods in terms of power generation costs.
■Fig. 4:External view of the 100kW "Kairyu" demonstration prototype and thedemonstration test area

Offshore Operational Tests
Using the results of essential element technology development that began in 2011, a power generation demonstration experiment of an underwater floating ocean current
power generation system was conducted in the actual Kuroshio current region from July to August 2017.
For this demonstration test, an actual demonstration prototype with a turbine diameter of approximately 1/3 scale(Fig. 4. Named "Kairyu" after soliciting names from local
elementary and junior high school students) was developed
and built at IHI Yokohama Engineering Center, using thesame mechanism, structure, and materials as the actualmachines of the future.
This "Kairyu" floats in the water with an overall length
and width of approximately 20m and a weight of approximately 330 tons. It is composed of three watertight andpressure-resistant vessels (pods) that contain various
machinery. At the rear ends of the left and right pods, there
is a horizontal axis turbine equipped with a controllable
blade pitch angle mechanism, with a rotor diameter of 11
meters. Together, the left and right pods can generate amaximum of 100kW in a 3-knot current. The central pod isequipped with a mechanism for adjusting buoyancy, powertransmission equipment, and so forth. During power generation in the sea, the depth and position of the machine,
power generation performance, and emergency response
are controlled autonomously in response to the changing
external environment by the built-in control device. In
an advance trial run during which the unit was towed, it
was confirmed that it can generate a maximum output of
100kW, as planned, and that it could stably float throughautonomous control.
The next verification test in the Kuroshio area was conducted in the coastal area north of Kuchinoshima, Toshima
Village, Tokara Islands, Kagoshima Prefecture, which has
been approved as a marine energy demonstration field by
the National Ocean Policy Secretariat, Cabinet Office. A
power generation test was carried out by mooring "Kairyu"
in the marine area where the Kuroshio current flows, about
5km offshore from Kuchinoshima, with a seafloor depthof approximately 100m. There was a current of 2 knots
maximum during this test period, and power generationof approximately 30kW was achieved as a result of thisdemonstration test. Valuable data about the actual Kuroshio
current area's characteristics was also obtained, such as thefloat stability of floating objects, and installation and operational work in the actual marine area. This is the world's
first power generation using a 100kW class ocean current
generator that is installed in an actual ocean current area.

Ocean Newsletter
Selected Papers / No.24●11

Development of an Underwater Floating-type Ocean Current Power Generation Systemand the Demonstration Sea-trial
Towards Practical Use
Underwater floating ocean current power generation
systems are a new power generation technology that canshoulder the role of a base load power source through1) Marine current energy and high efficiency underwater
turbine power generators that bring high capacity factor,
and2) Low-cost float mooring methods, regardless of the sea
area.
In the future, we aim to commercialize the ocean current power generation system in the 2020s by carrying out
detailed investigations and research on the Kuroshio current
as a renewable energy source, and long-term operation trials are planned to be implemented from 2019 to 2020.
■● This paper is based on the results of a NEDO project, the "Marine Energy Technology Research and Development / Marine Energy Power Generation Technology Demonstration Study."*1 New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO): "NEDO Renewable Energy Technology White Paper -- Towards a New Energy Society" (2010)*2 New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO): Results report for "Research and Development of Natural Energy Technologies such as Wind Power / Research andDevelopment of Offshore Wind Power Generation Technology, etc. / Operations Related to Understanding Marine Energy's Potential" (2011)*3 In addition to ocean current power generation, tidal current power generation is a method of power generation that utilizes underwater currents. Tidal currents associated with tidal fluctuations
are characterized by large fluctuations in the speed and direction of the flow during the day.

Ocean Newsletter
Selected Papers / No.24●12

Creation of the 2nd Taketomi Basic Plan on Ocean Policy:
A town living in harmony with Churaumi (beautiful ocean)[KEYWORDS] island-type marine municipalities / conservation of remote islands / towns that live with the ocean

Taichiro TOUJI
Director, Policy Promotion Division, Taketomi Town Government, Okinawa Prefecture(Ocean Newsletter No. 438, 5 November 2018)

Taketomi Town created Japan's first local government-level Basic Plan on Ocean Policy. While
there have been successes in implementing each of the policies, situations surrounding the town
have changed. Keeping in mind the role of the town government, we are currently revising the"Taketomi-cho Basic Plan on Ocean Policy" in order to rapidly response to these changes.

Japan's Southernmost Marine Municipality
In May 2018, in order to aim for the "realization of a new
maritime nation," which is the purpose of the Basic Act on
Ocean Policy, the Cabinet decided on the Third Basic Planon Ocean Policy, positioning "Challenges to a new maritime nation" as a policy direction. In line with this, Taketomi Town completed revisions to the Taketomi-cho Basic
Plan on Ocean Policy, which had been in progress since lastyear, submitted it to and received approval from the Town
Assembly.
This Second Taketomi-cho Basic Plan on Ocean Policy
is the ocean policy of Taketomi Town, following the First
Plan, and has a very important role in the policies of thisTown, which is composed of an archipelago surrounded by
the sea.
Taketomi Town is a municipality belonging to the
Yaeyama Islands, located at the southernmost end of the
Okinawa Prefecture. It consists of 16 islands, including 7
uninhabited islands, with a total land area of approx. 334
km2 in a vast ocean of approx. 1,700 km2, which is approx.
40 km north to south and 42 km east to west.
Since it belongs to a subtropical marine climate that iswarm and humid throughout the year, a rich ecosystem
is formed by the overlap of this warm climate and thegeographical conditions of the islands surrounded by thesea. All of the islands, which are rich in nature and have agreat deal of precious wild life, represented by the Iriomotewildcat, are designated as Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park.
In addition, the sea area is the largest coral reef area inJapan, called Sekisei Lagoon, and the coral reef area of andbetween the islands is 296 km2, almost the same as the landarea. The islanders living there have nurtured a unique culture on each island by receiving the blessings of nature.
Taketomi Town has these characteristics, but it is also amunicipality with regional issues caused by the "ocean."
The islanders’ primary and only transportation is by boats,
which are expensive and have limited routes, and the service rate is greatly affected by the weather. The logistics
costs are very high for such maritime traffic, the medical
environment is unstable, and there is no high school on theisland, so the educational environment is also insufficient.
Overall, there is a high cost for social capital development.

Administrative costs are high because they are "remoteisland municipalities" scattered across a vast ocean area,
and as islands located in subtropical region they are vulnerable to natural disasters and environmental changes. Additionally, since the island has a natural ecosystem that isvulnerable to human pressures, conservation of the naturalenvironment and the landscape also remains a challenge.
More than 1 million tourists have visited the islands ofTaketomi town in recent years, and the islands are, inherently and for multiple aspects of daily life, a difficult place.

Formulation and Revision of the Town's Basic
Plan on Ocean Policy
The Taketomi-cho Basic Plan on Ocean Policy wasformulated in March 2011 and was the first such plan formulated by a local government in Japan. It is an activity
plan voluntarily and independently formulated by Taketomi
Town, the southernmost municipality in Japan, based onJapan's Basic Act on Ocean Policy. This Basic Plan wasformulated to be used as a tool for the town to solve its
problems that were caused by the ocean itself, appropriately
using the Basic Act on Ocean Policy, which clearly states
the country's basic philosophy regarding the ocean and the
responsibilities of the country, local governments, businesses, and citizens.
In this Plan, 23 policies were set forth, and various initiatives were carried out, relating to the natural environment,
the living environment, and industrial promotion. As acountermeasure against coastal litter, an oil-making device
that produces styrene oil from Styrofoam was introduced,
and it was implemented as a project to create employment
by using it as island-produced energy. Meanwhile, the coral
reef area plays the role of Taketomi Town's fishing resource
and tourism resource, and the sea route plays the same role
as a road. Because this is a place where we live our daily
lives, we are steadily implementing the business items
listed in the Plan, such as conducting activities to request to
the national government to make the coral reef an area for
calculating the portion of tax revenue allocated to the local
government.
However, there are still issues that require ongoing
efforts, such as the natural environment of the ocean andOcean Newsletter
Selected Papers / No.24●13

Creation of the 2nd Taketomi Basic Plan on Ocean Policy: A town living in harmony with Churaumi(beautiful ocean)islands, a safe and secure living infrastructure for the ocean
and islands, industrial promotion utilizing the ocean, passing on the history and culture raised and nurtured here by
the ocean, and issues regarding the securing of financial
resources and human development resources. Additionally,
it is estimated that Taketomi Town's future population will
decrease unless more people in their twenties continue tomove to the town.
Furthermore, newly emerging issues related to the ocean,which surrounds the town, include ensuring safety and theimpact on the precious natural environment due to the rapidly increasing development pressures accompanying therise in domestic and foreign tourists, etc., and people entering the area; ensuring safety and the impact on the naturalenvironment due to environmental changes from global
warming, such as rising seawater temperature; increased
friction with neighboring countries in the oceanic area; andthe shortage of human and financial resources.
In addition, the islands within the town are border islands
that serve as the basis for territorial waters, such as inhabited islands (Kuroshima, Iriomotejima, Haterumajima,
Hatomajima) and uninhabited islands (Sotobanarijima,
Uchibanarijima, Yonasone, Umanofapi, Nakanouganjima), a total of nine islands. It was recognized again thatthe entire town, including the uninhabited islands, plays amajor role in conserving Japan's territorial waters.
In response to these various situations, the 2nd Taketomicho Basic Plan on Ocean Policy was formulated with themain objectives of realizing a better living environment
and preserving border remote islands based on Taketomi
Town's role, which has border remote islands that are thebasis for Japan's territorial waters, etc., and passing on to
the next generation the precious nature and culture raised
and nurtured here by the ocean.
The 2nd Taketomi Basic Plan on Ocean Policy wasformulated together with Japan's 3rd Basic Plan on Ocean
Policy, considering and formulating plans for the important
issues surrounding Taketomi Town's ocean and islands.
As a major feature, the following points regarding theachievement of each project are more focused than previously: evaluations by the regional assembly and representatives of the town residents as well as evaluations by a thirdparty committee with outside experts were strengthened,
indicators to appropriately manage progress were set, andthese were described in the Basic Plan.

Nakanouganjima Island, a remote and uninhabited island.

Bringing the Ocean Together
As part of its public relations, Taketomi Town is planning to hold a symposium in January 2019 that connects theislands together, focusing on the inhabited border islands,
through a simultaneous broadcast (web conference). Under
the theme of "Ocean," this is an attempt to transform an
ocean that has been separating islands to an ocean that willconnect the islands together. We would like to build a placethat will enable us to have hearings and discussions withthe other islands while staying here, and, with the theme of
the town's ocean, we would like to discuss with the people
on the island the various issues and future of the town while
being aware of the sea. Through the activities of various
policies based on this Plan, Taketomi Town will create abetter future for the town and work on new development
as a town living in harmony with Churaumi (the beautiful ocean), and we hope to contribute to the promotion ofJapan's maritime policy, which aims to build a new maritime nation.
■● Taketomi Town is the winner of the 11th National Marine Nation Promotion Contributor Merit Award in 2018.

Ocean Newsletter
Selected Papers / No.24●14

On the Utilization of Water Transportation in Tokyo Bay[KEYWORDS] 2020 Tokyo Olympics / water taxi / pier usage

Hajime TABATA
President and Representative Director, Tokyo Water Taxi, Inc.

(Ocean Newsletter No. 440, 5 December 2018)

Water taxis are a part of the waterborne transport in and around Tokyo Bay. In an effort to provide
customers with new Tokyo discoveries, we have been dealing with the two themes of education
and boat design. With the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games coming up, it is expectedthat more boats will be needed to respond to the increase in customers. In order to do so, planningfor effective use of boarding locations is an important issue to be resolved.

Playing a Role as New Transportation
Tokyo Water Taxi, Inc., is developing its business as
a new public transportation service that has not hitherto
been available in Japan, through the “Tokyo Port Marine
Traffic Revitalization” project. As the first step in this project, since 2016 the company has been promoting Tokyo
as a “Waterside City,” trying to improve its international
image, appealing to the world that it is an international andenvironmentally friendly port city by revitalizing diverse
transport means that do not rely solely on road transport,
and demonstrating unsurpassed boating functions, such as
emergency transportation for victims in the event of a largescale disaster and as a means of communication and transportation in the event of a land transportation blockage.
Here, focusing on the Tokyo Port area, a “port” refers to aplace in a “bay” where ships can be safely moored and passengers can get on and off smoothly. Tokyo Port is locatedin Tokyo, which has the largest population in Japan, so
naturally diverse businesses have been actively carried out
there. Currently, sightseeing is also offered by water bus. In
fact, many canals that have been used since the Edo period(1603 - 1868) still exist. However, generally, there havebeen little opportunities to see their charm and elegance.
It is our hope to give many more people the chance to see
such waterways and that boats become loved as a means oftransportation between Tokyo Port and the waterways.
Of course, one of the first things that we paid attention toas a means of port transportation is the boat’s hull. Some ofTokyo Water Taxi http://water-taxi.tokyo/top■Lock gate

The gate closes after you enter from the river. Then, water is drained out and the water levelis lowered below that of the river. When the water is at the correct level, the sluice on the
opposite side opens, and you can advance into the canal. When going out of the canal, theopposite procedure is performed.

the canals are very narrow and there are places that eventually don’t allow any boats to proceed; in that case, boats
must be able to make a U-turn. Considering those conditions, the size of the boat’s hull had to be approx. 7m long.
In addition, there are many bridges over the canals, and thecanals are also affected by tides, which therefore requiredconsideration ? the height of the hull could not be too high.
Having considered these points, in order for passengers tosafely board regardless of the weather, we made the cabininterior as wide as possible, ensured a fully air-conditioned
indoor environment, and installed a toilet. Where we
struggled was the use of a simple disaster prevention wharf.
Simple disaster prevention wharfs have a staircase, but nofloating pier. That means that the bottom of the boat is levelwith the staircase during high tide, so you would have to
Ocean Newsletter
Selected Papers / No.24●15

On the Utilization of Water Transportation in Tokyo Bay
get on and off from below the boat’s deck, and the ceilingof the boat’s cabin is level with the staircase during low
tide, so you would have to get on and off from the roof ofthe boat. Therefore, we eventually decided on attaching a“dedicated step” to the boat to be used for getting on andoff. The initial version was made yellow because that color
is easily recognized as a taxi and could be found even atnight.
In addition, as a means of port transportation, boat handling education was taken into consideration. There are no
traffic lights on the sea or rivers, and, unlike cars, ships do
not have brakes. If you think of a boat as a car, then there
is only an accelerator and a reverse. When turning, you
may also think of it as driving a car on a snowy road. With
those conditions, high maneuvering skills are required to
get the boat's hull to and from the pier. At the same time,boats move through seas and rivers where there are no traffic lights, so compliance with the rules and a high degree ofattention are required. Training and recovery practice arebeing conducted repeatedly, thanks to which our customers
are able to get on and off safely. In this regard, I am thankful for the companies involved.

■Tokyo Water Taxi boarding/disembarking map

high potential as Sydney.
Transportation is essential for the development of facilities. The Yurikamome (Tokyo Waterfront New Transit
Waterfront Line), which is now the heart of the coastal
area, is also very crowded for major events at Tokyo Big
Sight. Even on roads, heavy traffic jams are expected when
the Olympics are held. We are still small, but it is our mission to play a role in reducing traffic congestion as a watertransportation system. We are convinced that we can contribute to the further development of seaside facilities by
expanding their potential.

Where You Want to Go, When You Want to GoTokyo Water Taxi has been operating on a charter-only basis since November 2015, and has
operated 3 boats since September 2016.

To Contribute to the Future Development ofTokyo Harbor
The number of overseas visitors is expected to increaseas the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic games draw
closer, a feeling that is now palpable in the city. Facilities facing the sea and rivers will be completed, one after
another, such as the opening of the new Toyosu Market, theTokyo Olympic/Paralympic Village in Harumi, the Ariake
Passenger Ship Terminal, and the partial development of
Hinode Pier.
Water taxis are common in Sydney, Australia, and Sydney Harbor has many facilities facing the sea. Tokyo Port is
not a big port compared to Sydney, but considering its connection to rivers, Tokyo Port is deemed to have the same

In Tokyo, excluding certain hours and places, you can get
a taxi by raising your hand. You can also call one by phone
or app. Water taxis don't work that way unfortunately, but
if you are in our operational area then it is our greatest hope
to take you "Where You Want to Go, When You Want to
Go."
Currently, you can only get on or off at designated boarding areas. In addition, there are 7 places where you can geton and off with a same-day reservation. Most other boarding points require a reservation about one week in advance.
This is, without a doubt, a major hurdle. In conjunction withthe relevant boarding places, we have been making efforts,and hope to eliminate this time lag in order to increase connections to new facilities.
There is a statistic that approx. 4% of Tokyo's transportation is carried out by taxi, and so if this time lag disappears,
there is a possibility of covering about 4% of all water traffic in coastal and operational areas.
Our company currently has three water taxis in operation, but we plan to increase the number of boats as thepier environment changes. By solving the pier problem,
we expect an increase not only in our company, but also inwater taxis.
■
Ocean Newsletter
Selected Papers / No.24●16

Launch of the Japan Coast Guard
Mobile Cooperation Team (MCT)[KEYWORDS] Indo-Pacific Strategy / Assistance Project for Strengthening Maritime Surveillance Capacity in the Micronesia Region /Coast Guard Global Summit

Akira KURAMOTO
Director for Coast Guard International Cooperation, Administration Department, Japan Coast Guard(Ocean Newsletter No. 441, 20 December 2018)

For more than 40 years, the Japan Coast Guard has continuously provided support for capacity
building to coastal countries in the Asia region, among others, regarding maritime safety andsecurity. Launched in October 2017, the “Japan Coast Guard Mobile Cooperation Team (MCT)” is a
department that specializes in support for capacity building efforts. As of December 20, 2018, 54
members including from the MCT have been dispatched on 15 missions to eight countries, carryingout efforts for improvement of maritime safety and security capacities in the Indo-Pacific region to“connect the oceans.”

Inauguration of MCT
For more than 40 years, the Japan Coast Guard has
continuously provided support for capacity building tocoastal countries in the Asia region and elsewhere regarding marine rescue, oil removal, maritime law enforcement,
and the ensuring of maritime traffic safety, etc. However, in
recent years it has become necessary to respond to increasing requests for technical guidance and other kinds ofassistance.
Therefore, the Japan Coast Guard Mobile Cooperation
Team (hereinafter referred to as "MCT"*1 was establishedin October 2017 as a special team for supporting capacity
development with seven members, led by the Director for
Coast Guard International Cooperation. Going forward,
MCT aims to enhance its activities in order to become acore player in the field of technical guidance of the maritime safety and security field, which is one of the pillars ofJapan's efforts towards a "Free and Open Indo-Pacific."
Ensuring safety at sea is of the utmost importance forJapan, which relies on sea transport for most of its imports
and exports. In addition, collaboration and cooperation withrelated countries connected by sea is extremely importantin responding to large scale accidents, disasters, and theglobalization of crimes as seen in pirate cases along theworld's most important maritime traffic routes, namely
in the Malacca Singapore Straits, the Sulu and Celebes
Seas, and off the coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden.
Therefore, the Japan Coast Guard actively engages in various cooperative and collaborative activities to developinternational cooperation relationships into more substantial
activities, through joint drills and joint patrols with foreign
Coast Guard agencies. Capacity building assistance forforeign Coast Guard agencies is part of such initiatives, andtechnical guidance for marine rescue, oil removal, maritime law enforcement, and the ensuring of maritime traffic
safety, etc., has been continuously provided through theframework of the Japan International Cooperation Agency(JICA) and the Nippon Foundation for over 40 years. A
great deal of training was carried out by dispatch staff dur-ing those years, but it was conducted in the form of temporarily dispatching Coast Guard officers to the site, and was
faced by the need for detailed responses to the needs of thetarget organizations and agencies, as well as restrictions on
the numbers of dispatch times and dispatchable officers.
In addition, requests for technical guidance have increased
in recent years with the establishment of maritime security organizations in Asian countries. In response to theserequests, MCT was established in October 2017 as a special
team with seven members that provides capacity building
assistance for maritime safety and security.

MCT Activities
Under the new system, MCT staff consult with counterparts of the target organization regarding necessary support
contents on a daily basis, building a relationship of trust
while sharing understanding of the issues of the target organizations and agencies. In addition, by constant monitoringof the progress of technical guidance and the providing of
instruction, MCT intends to implement more consistent andcontinuous capacity building assistance.
Additionally, MCT aims to increase efficiency by systemically verifying the implementation status of activities based on the PDCA cycle and gradually improving
the guidance systems and procedures. From the MCT's
inauguration until December 20, 2018, a total of 54 MCT
and other personnel have been dispatched 15 times to 8
countries*2.

Dispatch Example
Coordinating functions are strengthened through MCT's
establishment, and at the same time are aimed at realizing
improved efficiency by providing technical guidance totrainees from multiple countries and by other means. Examples are introduced below.
(Dispatch Example 1) Law Enforcement Training at
the Philippine Coast Guard
This was the first MCT dispatch for technical guidance.

Ocean Newsletter
Selected Papers / No.24●17

Launch of the Japan Coast Guard Mobile Cooperation Team (MCT)"Connecting the Sea": Coordination andCooperation in Japan and Overseas in the
Field of Support for Improving Maritime Safety
and Security Capabilities

Small high-speed boat training with the Philippine Coast Guard (a patrol boat donated fromJapan is in the background)

Japan's efforts towards a "Free and Open Indo-Pacific"
will maintain and strengthen a free and open maritime order
based on the rule of law, and one of the pillars of that is
assistance in the field of maritime safety and security, promoting coordination and cooperation with countries in theregion with the aim of making the Indo-Pacific an "international public good" that brings stability and prosperity to all
countries. Based on this, in recent years provision of materials and equipment, such as patrol boats, to foreign maritime security organizations has been actively implemented
through Japan's Official Development Assistance (ODA).

From November 5 to 17, 2017, 17 personnel comprised of
MCT and others were dispatched as law enforcement training lecturers for 40 Philippine Coast Guard members, andthey conducted law enforcement training using patrol boats
and small high-speed boats provided by Japan. In addition
to two participants each from the Indonesia Maritime Security Agency, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency,
and the Vietnam Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard instructors conducted engine handling training for small highspeed boats. This was the first training conducted with the
U.S. and Japanese Coast Guards. In addition, Mr. Kentaro
Sonoura, Special Advisor to the Prime Minister, observed a
training exercise on November 16.
(Dispatch Example 2) JCG Training Ship Kojima On
Board Training
On July 28, 2018, the Japan Coast Guard Academy’s
training ship Kojima departed Da Nang, Vietnam, andreturned to Kure on August 3, 2018, conducting on board
training for 6 trainees, 2 each from the Philippine Coast
Guard, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, andthe Vietnam Coast Guard. After arriving in Japan and until
August 8th, facility tours and other training was conducted
for the Philippines and Malaysia trainees. One MCT staff
member accompanied the trainees during the entire period.
Southeast Asian maritime security organizations do nothave a system that can conduct training using a dedicatedtraining ship, so this training provides a valuable opportunity. This training has been implemented 14 times since2003, and a total of 66 trainees were accepted, including 41
from the Philippines, 20 from Malaysia, 3 from Singapore,and 2 from Vietnam. It should be noted that this was thefirst time that trainees from 3 countries were accepted at thesame time.

Group photo of the trainees (center of the front row) and students from the Japan Coast
Guard Academy

In addition, the Nippon Foundation, the Sasakawa Peace
Foundation, and the Japan Association of Marine Safety
have promoted the "Assistance Project for Strengthening
Maritime Surveillance Capacity in the Micronesia Region"in cooperation with the Japanese, U.S., and Australian governments, and have implemented activities such as donating
a number of equipment and patrol boats.
Furthermore, in September 2017, in order to build interregional cooperation/collaboration between Coast Guard
agencies, the world's first "Coast Guard Global Summit"*3
was co-hosted by the Nippon Foundation, to which wereinvited secretary-level officers from 38 countries andinternational organizations from around the world. At themeeting, opinions were exchanged on issues in the fieldof maritime safety and security that need to be solved on a
global scale, and the importance of international cooperation in the field of human resource development was also
discussed. Additionally, in November 2018, the "The Coast
Guard Global Summit Working Level Meeting" was held,

Ocean Newsletter
Selected Papers / No.24●18

Launch of the Japan Coast Guard Mobile Cooperation Team (MCT)

to which were invited Coast Guard practitioners from 66
countries and international organizations from around theworld, to carry out specific considerations for realizing thecontent and goals discussed during the Coast Guard Global
Summit in 2017.
Against this background, MCT will contribute to activities that "connect the sea" from the viewpoint of improving
the capability to secure maritime safety and security in the
Indo-Pacific region by enhancing its activities, while at thesame time coordinating and cooperating with related organizations in Japan and overseas so that MCT will become
the core of technical guidance in the field of maritime
security.
■*1 Common name of "Mobile Cooperation Team: MCT"
*2 Indonesia, Djibouti, Sri Lanka, Seychelles, Pakistan, Philippines, Malaysia, and Vietnam*3 Reference: Kentaro Furuya, “Hosting of the Coast Guard Global Summit (CGGS)—Towards the Maintenance of International Maritime Order—”, Ocean Newsletter, No. 416

Ocean Newsletter
Selected Papers / No.24●19

The World Maritime University—Sasakawa Global Ocean
Institute: A New Institute in a Unique University[KEYWORDS] ocean sustainability / ocean governance / human resource development

Ronan LONG
Director, WMU-Sasakawa Global Ocean Institute, World Maritime University(Ocean Newsletter No. 442, 5 January 2019)

A new chapter in ocean education, research and capacity-building commenced at the World
Maritime University with the inauguration of the WMU-Sasakawa Global Ocean Institute on 8 May
2018. With the aim of passing on a sustainable ocean to future generations, creation of the newresearch institute in WMU is expected to lead to the building of cooperative relationships witha variety of ocean stakeholders as well as research and capacity development programmes toaddress some of the most intractable problems concerning anthropogenic impacts on the ocean
environment and its many resources.

REMARKABLE SUCCESSThe sea covers two-thirds of the planet and modern State
practice shows that a high degree of international cooperation is required to ensure peaceful and sustainable usesof ocean space and marine resources. Moreover, contemporary trends in the law of the sea demonstrates that thedevelopment of human expertise and scientific knowledgeof the marine environment facilitates good decisions inocean governance. An important milestone was achievedin capacity development with the establishment of theWorld Maritime University (WMU) in Malmö in 1983. The
University has trained a whole generation of maritime andocean experts over the past three decades and the remarkable success of the University in this regard can be gauged
from the presence today of 4,654 alumni in 167 countries.
Among its many distinguished alumni is the IMO Secretary
General and Chancellor of the WMU, Mr. Kittack Lim,
who studied maritime administration at the University inthe early 1990s.

NEW CHAPTER
A new chapter in ocean education, research and capacitybuilding commenced at the University with the inauguration of the WMU-Sasakawa Global Ocean Institute on 8
May 2018. The Institute operates within the frameworkof the Charter of the World Maritime University and istangible evidence of the commitment of the University to
implement the ocean related goals of the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development (the 2030 Agenda), including
most notably Goal 4 on Quality Education and Goal 14
on Life Below Water. In particular, the Institute is tasked
with research and the delivery of capacity development
programmes addressing some of most intractable problems
concerning anthropogenic impacts on the ocean environment and the resources that it supports. Furthermore, thefounding of the Institute is testament to the unrelenting
commitment and vision of Chairman Sasakawa in thedevelopment of human resource capacity and the utilisationof education as a means to improve sustainable and peace-

ful uses of the ocean for the benefit of present and future
generations.

From left: Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, President of WMU; Yohei Sasakawa, Chairman of The
Nippon Foundation; Kitack Lim, WMU Chancellor and Secretary-General of the International
Maritime Organization; Isabella Lövin, Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden

EXTRAORDINARY PHILANTHROPY
The establishment of the new Institute has to be viewed
within the wider context of the extraordinary philanthropyof The Sasakawa Peace Foundation and The Nippon Foundation in building human resource capacity and in supporting advanced academic research on complicated andcontentious ocean issues. The scale and success of theseendeavours can be measured from the broad spectrum ofprogrammes the Nippon Foundation has supported sincethe 1980s. Thus, for example, it champions 30 fellowships
per annum for students from developing countries pursuing MSc degrees at WMU. Other remarkable achievements
include the Nereus Program, which is an inter-institutional
partnership between 17 of the world’s leading universities
including the University of British Columbia, Princeton,
Stockholm, Duke, Utrecht and Cambridge universities, allof whom are engaged in collaborative natural and social
science research pertaining to the ocean.
The list of international bodies that have benefited fromthe largesse of the Nippon Foundation in capacity building
is equally impressive and includes the International TribuOcean Newsletter
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The World Maritime University—Sasakawa Global Ocean Institute:
A New Institute in a Unique University
nal for the Law of the Sea, the International Hydrographic
Organization, the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Lawof the Sea at the UN, as well as the International Maritime
Law Institute (IMLI) in Malta, which has hosted over 150
fellowships.
The establishment of the new Institute at the WMUshould not therefore be viewed in isolation, as it is intrinsically linked to the major contribution in capacity building
made by the Nippon Foundation in assisting international
efforts to pass on a sustainable ocean to future generations.

POSITIONING THE NEW INSTITUTE
Beginning with the UN ‘family’, many internationalorganisations are shaping ocean governance decisions andfostering greater scientific understanding of human impacts
on the marine environment. In particular, substantial capacity building and educational efforts in ocean affairs areundertaken by a wide range of UN System bodies throughtheir technical cooperation programmes including those
provided by the IMO, IOC-UNESCO, FAO, DOALOS andthe ISA, among others.
In light of these initiatives and with a view to exploring
how the new Institute can best complement existing public
and private capacity building efforts, the University convened the WMU Global Ocean Conference on 8 and 9 May
2018. The conference brought together 240 participantsfrom more than 50 countries, along with senior representatives from UN System bodies and selected states, as well as
a diverse range of stakeholders and experts from industry
and civil society including the Nippon Foundation and theGovernments of Seychelles, South Africa, Indonesia, Sweden, Canada, Germany, Norway and Japan. The aim of theconference was threefold, namely: (1) to identify the many
threats to the world’s ocean ranging from land-based pollution to coral bleaching, overfishing, marine habitat degradation, ocean acidification and the impacts of climate change;(2) to explore how best to build transformative partnerships

between public and private bodies for ocean sustainability
in light of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); and(3) to identify research priorities for the future work programme of the new Institute.
For the purpose of promoting wide-ranging and inclusive
discussions, the Conference was divided into six panels
focusing on the theme of building transformative partnerships to implement the ocean-related goals of the 2030
Agenda from distinctive perspectives and constituencies.
On the basis of two days of comprehensive deliberations,broad consensus emerged among the participants that theInstitute should contribute to the implementation of international ocean governance instruments.
There is also universal support for the mission of theInstitute, which is tasked with becoming an internationally recognised centre of excellence in ocean governanceresearch, to act as a nexus and convergence point between
diverse ocean stakeholders, while building global capacity
in ocean governance and contributing to the implementation of Goal 14 of the 2030 Agenda. In realising its visionand discharging its mission, the Institute is informed by fiveguiding principles drawn from the 2030 Agenda pertaining to people, planet, prosperity, peace and partnerships. In
keeping with these principles, the Institute will undertake
research and related educational and outreach activities
closely aligned with the ocean-related goals of the 2030
Agenda.

The 2018 WMU Global Ocean Conference welcomed 240 participants from 50 countries,
including from the Nippon Foundation, representatives from the governments of the Seychelles, South Africa, Indonesia, Sweden, Canada, Germany, Norway, Japan, etc., as well as awide variety of stakeholders and experts from industry and civil society organizations.

VOYAGE AHEAD

Ronan Long, Director, WMU–Sasakawa Global Ocean Institute, at the Global Ocean
Conference

The changing geopolitical realities of the ocean are complex and demand constant scientific review and analysis
from different perspectives. For this reason, the projects
and extra-mural activities planned by the Institute are verymuch focused in taking a long-term perspective and looking ahead to intergenerational impacts of current activities,

Ocean Newsletter
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The World Maritime University—Sasakawa Global Ocean Institute: A New Institute in a Unique University

as well as shorter term impacts over the next 20 to 30 years.
The Agenda is directly linked to the Charter of the WMU,
the extensive deliberations undertaken with key stakeholders across a broad spectrum of interests represented at the2018 WMU Global Ocean Conference, as well as discussions with the principal sponsors from Japan, Sweden, Germany and Canada. The work of the Institute is needs driven
and centres in many instances around the core missionof the WMU in assisting international organizations andStates, particularly developing countries, as well as otherocean stakeholders in advancing sustainable development
under the 2030 Agenda.
A key aspect is to work with non-traditional partners
from other sectors with a view to developing innovativeand radical solutions to some of the most pressing challenges in ocean governance. The work programme includes
a spectrum of tailored project initiatives on the following: marine debris; navigational rights and freedoms withan initial focus on the sustainable use of straits used forinternational navigation; capacity building relating to areas
beyond national jurisdiction in conjunction with the International Seabed Authority and the International Maritime
Organization, especially in relation to governance issues
and the institutional architecture for the implementationof a legally binding instrument under UNCLOS; issues

concerning greater convergence between the ocean andclimate action legal regimes in line with Goals 13 and 14of the 2030 Agenda, particularly in the context of sea level
rise and the related challenges for the maritime boundaries
of Large Oceanic States in the Pacific Ocean; spatial governance of ocean space and ocean leadership in relation to
the land-to-sea interface; enduring and emerging challenges
in ocean governance pertaining to gender empowerment, as
well as concerning the application of new technologies andplatforms for data acquisition and sharing.
The underlying premise of the work programme is that
education, research and human resource development arevital catalysts for engendering a sustainable ocean for the
benefit of humankind. This is acknowledged by the UN
First Global Integrated Marine Assessment, which points
out that achieving sustainability requires a strong understanding of the functioning and importance of the ocean byexperts and the public alike. In many ways, the WMU is
the embodiment of the axiom that education and capacity
development are the twin-motors of sustainable development. Accordingly, as an integral part of WMU, the successof the Institute on the voyage ahead will be determined by
how well it mentors a new generation of ocean governanceleaders and builds transformative partnerships that make adifference on ocean sustainability worldwide.
■

Ocean Newsletter
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Efforts towards the Creation of an Oyster Farming Pipe Utilizing
Biodegradable Plastics[KEYWORDS] Hiroshima Bay / aquaculture materials / outflow prevention

Kengo FUKUDA
Division Head, Second Operations Division, UMI & NAGISA Foundation(Ocean Newsletter No. 447, 20 March 2019)

Oyster farming utilizes several plastic materials including oyster pipes (20cm-long polyethylene
tubes to provide spaces for farmed oysters) and Styrofoam floats of oyster rafts. The number ofoyster pipes used in Hiroshima Bay are estimated to be more than 200million, and some of them
are lost due to ship collisions. Introduction of biodegradable materials used for oyster pipes could
reduce the environmental problems associated with the lost and drifted pipes. To identify thestrength of biodegradable oyster pipes, strength tests have been conducted since 2018, in addition
to exiting studies to reduce pollutions caused by broken styrofoam floats.

Can Oyster Farming Pipes be Prevented from
Outflowing?
The problem of oyster farming materials and drifting
waste in Hiroshima Bay has been around for more than
20 years, and the Styrofoam floats (hereinafter referred
to as "floats") and oyster pipes (hereinafter referred to as"pipes") have been alternately attracting attention over the
past several years. In 2017, the Umi & Nagisa Foundation
conducted a demonstration test in which float pellets wereturned into fuel at four locations nationwide, and achieved
a certain level of success, at the end of 15 years development. Next, an experiment using oyster pipes made of biodegradable plastic was conducted in Hiroshima. This has
been a long-standing challenge, even before marine plastics
became a social problem.
Plastic pipes for oyster farming are used when hanging scallop shells to which the seedlings will be attached,
to secure a certain amount of space between them. The
existing polyethylene (hereinafter referred to as PE) pipes
are 20cm long, have a 1.5cm outside diameter, approx. a
1.0cm inside diameter, and cost only a few yen per pipe,
but they are important materials and are kept for reuse,and not allowed to outflow. Pipe outflows have become
both an economic and an environmental problem for oyster
farmers. Currently, more than 200 million pipes are used in
Hiroshima Bay, with 17,000 pipes per floating raft for oyster farming. Even if a tenth of a few percent of using pipes
are outflowing, it means that 100,000 pipes will be released.
This is a considerable amount if you have accumulated theoutflow pipe, but the cause of outflows is not just the aquaculture work, and it seems impossible to completely prevent
outflows by the efforts of fishermen alone. For example,
over the past three years, there have been, average per year,
40 oyster farming floating rafts collide with the ship andare broken. If all the pipes became disengaged during these
accidents, then the outflow from these accidents would be
680,000 pipes/year. Fishermen must work on outflow prevention and improvements, but because of this background,
we decided to conduct a field experiment with biodegradable plastic pipes that would decompose faster than PE

Fragmented oyster pipes and white Styrofoam floats drifted down

pipes.

Initiatives in Hiroshima Prefecture
More than 15 years ago, the Western District Hiroshima
Prefectural Fisheries Promotion Council established a
program for purchasing pipes that have been released anddrifted out of the prefecture, but purchases are subject toconditions, such as the shape of the pipes, and local municipalities where the beach with drifted pipes is located may
dispose of them. In addition, officers in charge at Hiroshima Fisheries Cooperative and the the Fisheries Divisionof Hiroshima Prefectural Government were aware of the
problems and visited the float processing demonstration test
conducted by the Foundation in FY2017, but it did not leadto a proper disposing project.
However, on May 14, 2018, a representative of Yamaguchi Prefecture visited the Hiroshima Prefectural Office
and requested, in writing, "Thorough outflow prevention
and recovery of plastic pipes used in oyster farming". In
response, Hiroshima Prefecture sent an administrative guidance about outflow prevention to the head of the fisherycooperative that handles oyster farming in the prefecture.
At the Governor's regular press conference, reporters asked
questions about marine litter countermeasures, in particular
about outflows of oyster farming materials and the request
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Efforts towards the Creation of an Oyster Farming Pipe Utilizing Biodegradable Plastics
lodged by Yamaguchi Prefecture.
When oyster farmers from Hiroshima Prefecture collected drifting pipes and other litter in Suo-Oshima Town
and other places in Yamaguchi Prefecture on September 7,
apparently some of them were surprised by the large number of pipes. It shows that there is not precise information of
the issue amongst oyster farmers. On the other hand, there
is also an initiative for float processing in which the Hiroshima Fisheries Cooperative acts as a contact point, and we
expect that this will lead to an improvement in fishermen’sawareness and efforts to solve the pipe outflow problem.

Challenges for Trial Production, Experimentation, and Introduction of Biodegradable Plastic Pipes
Two types of experiments were planned, using a total ofthree types of prototype pipes (20cm long PBS and 2 typesof PLA)*1, and using the existing PE pipes for comparison.
In Experiment (1), hanging the pipes down on an aquaculture cage, the percentage of good reusable pipes wasmeasured by selecting not-reusable pipes that had cracks
or were bent, assuming actual work such as moving rafts.
As for biodegradable plastic pipes, unused prototype pipes
and pipes that had deteriorated after being boiled in seawater for several hours were used and installed in the samerack for comparison. They were installed at the fisheries
cooperative on October 25, 2018, and would be collected in
January and May, 2019. For experiment (2), pipes will be
installed at depths of 0m (surface level), 1m, and 5m, andthen their weight and surface deterioration will be observed.
The Hiroshima Prefectural Fisheries Division and Ocean
Technologies Center of Hiroshima prefectural Technology
Research Institute will begin a seawater immersion test on
November 2, and will measure weight changes after 1, 3,
and 6 months to investigate durability and degradability.
When compared to the ready-made PE, the PLA prototype seems to be very hard and strong, but it is vulnerable
to cracking. The PBS prototype is flexible and seems tobe the closest to the ready-made PE. In January 2019, we
observed the status after three months of immersion. Just
like in actual harvesting, scallop shells were dropped on theship and the pipes were collected separately. According to
the fishermen who cooperated in the experiment, they feltthat more pipes had cracked than the PE pipes that they use
on a daily basis, and they were worried that the pipes would
break when put into a cleaning machine for reuse. There arestill lots of tasks in this work.
It may be better to consider introduction to “blister pipe
(mame-kuda)” first. For collecting oyster seedlings, a shortpipe, cut to about 1 cm in length and known as a " blister

Hanging ropes with biodegradable plastic pipes"Blister pipes" are used in between scallops

pipe (mame-kuda)" is used. Blister pipes were the mostcommonly collected piece of the marine litter. Blister pipes
are less likely to break due to resistance to running water,
and are therefore easier to introduce into actual faming thanlonger pipes.
Also, as a matter of concern for their introduction, there
is a specific gravity issue that is difficult to notice whenused on land. Most biodegradable plastics sink, so more
floats will be attached to the rafts if biodegradable plastic isused and the burden on fishermen will increase. In the caseof outflows, PE pipes can be collected by rafts and workboats, but biodegradable plastic will become seabed waste
and will be difficult to collect. It is said that used PVC
pipes and PE pipes are still on the seabed. There is no material that is good to leave in nature, not just biodegradable
plastic.

Sustainable Aquaculture
The non-use of plastic, such as straws and plastic bags
that are provided directly to customers, will lead to improving corporate images, while measures for floats and pipes,

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Efforts towards the Creation of an Oyster Farming Pipe Utilizing Biodegradable Plastics

which are items not to be provided to customers, tend to bedelayed, as they are unlikely to lead to increased productprices. For this reason, the Public Awareness of Hiroshima
Prefecture residents are important, but at the same time, itis necessary that distributors show concern when fishermentake countermeasures against outflows and to see whether
fishermen are properly managing their fishing gear. In
addition, certification for eco-labels, etc., shall also require
added items to be checked off regarding proper treatment
and disposal of fishing gear.
Some ear-pleasing information has been reported on the
problem of marine plastics, but there is no quick remedy
for the marine litter problem. The best way is to keep up
steady, uninterrupted efforts. This probably wouldn't havebeen so exciting if the Ocean Plastics Charter had beensigned.
It is important not to focus on the G20 declaration to beheld in Osaka in June 2019, but to focus on the subsequent
government and industry efforts.
■*1 PBS (polybutylene succinate) and PLA (polylactic acid) are both a type of biodegradable plastic.

Ocean Newsletter
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The Kuroshio Large Meander and its Impacts[KEYWORDS] Kuroshio Large Meander / ocean prediction / marine science

Toru MIYAMA
Senior Scientist, Application Laboratory, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC)(Ocean Newsletter No. 448, 5 April 2019)

The phenomenon known as the Kuroshio Large Meander began in August 2017, and is ongoing asof February 2019, more than a year since it began. The current of this Kuroshio, which comes 12
years after the previous one that occurred between 2004 and 2005, should provide an opportunity
to review the impacts that the ocean has on Japan’s coastal environments. We hope to make useof predictions concerning this Kuroshio phenomenon and provide information to the public.

The Kuroshio Large Meander and its Impacts
The phenomenon known as the Kuroshio Large Meanderbegan at the end of August 2017. It is the first time in 12
years since 2004/2005 that the Kuroshio Large Meander has
occurred. The Kuroshio Large Meander is a phenomenon inwhich the Kuroshio Current takes a meandering path to thesouth, from the Kii Peninsula to off Tokai, and continues to
do so for a long time. Once started, it lasts for over a year.
Figure 1 is a comparison of sea surface temperature andcurrent velocity between 2017, before the Kuroshio Large
Meander, and January 1, 2019, during the meander. During
the Kuroshio Large Meander, the Kuroshio Current, which
is a warm current, changes its position offshore, and watertemperature decreases off the Kii Peninsula. On the other
hand, the Kuroshio Current shoots directly from the Kanto
area of Japan to the off Tokai area, and the temperaturerises.
When the Kuroshio Current meanders, the temperature
distribution and flow change significantly, as shown in Fig■Figure 1: Sea surface temperature (color: C˚) and current flow velocity (vector: m/s), estimated by the JCOPE2M ocean prediction model(a) January 1, 2017 (nearshore path)ure 1, and changes in marine ecosystems and the climate
also occur. Although the Kuroshio has a great influence on
the natural environment around Japan, this influence is only
truly felt when the Kuroshio changes drastically.
On the Tokai coast, which is directly hit by the Kuroshio,
the Kuroshio pushed the tide level up 20-30cm higher thanusual, which contributed to the storm surge and high waves
in the Tokai region during Typhoon No.21 (Lan) in 2017.
In addition, a study shows that it is more likely than usual
to snow in Tokyo due to low pressure along the southerncoast during the Kuroshio Large Meander, and backing thisclaim, there was more than 20cm of snow in Tokyo frombefore dawn on January 22 to 23, 2018, leading to traffic
disruptions.
Living things are also impacted. On the Kii Peninsula,
the Kuroshio moved away, and this movement is thought tohave contributed to the massive coral death in the winter of
2018. Fishing was also affected, such as the fishing groundfor skipjack tuna, which ride the Kuroshio, moving further
away. On the other hand, from the Kanto area to the Tokai
coast, where the Kuroshio drew closer, the impact of theKuroshio was also pointed out, including the sightings ofwhales in Tokyo Bay and a poor catch of whitebait.

Diverse Current Paths Created by Coastal andSeashore Topography(b) January 1, 2019 (Large Meander path)

Japan's unique coastal and seashore topography creates a variety of current paths for the Kuroshio, unlike anyother ocean current in the world. Figure 2 shows the seabedtopography of the southern coast of Japan. At the end of
the Kuroshio Current, a submarine mountain range called
the Izu Ridge extends from north to south. The Kuroshio,
a current that flows at a depth of more than 1,000 meters,
tries to pass through a deep-sea ridge one way or another.
Depending on the path that the current passes through, different current paths arise, such as the nearshore path and theoffshore path (Fig. 2a). Even without the Large Meander,
the Kuroshio constantly goes through significant changes.
Furthermore, there is the route of the Kuroshio Large
Meander (Fig. 2b). The trigger arises southeast off Kyushu.
The southeast off Kyushu area is a place where the KuroOcean Newsletter
Selected Papers / No.24●26

The Kuroshio Large Meander and its Impacts■Figure 2: Seafloor topography (Color: meters (blue is deep)) and the Kuroshio Current’s paths: (a) nearshore path and offshore path, and (b) Large
Meander current path.

dicted. Furthermore, the JCOPE Group has opened the"Kuroshio-Oyashio Watch" website (http://www.jamstec.
go.jp/aplinfo/kowatch/), which provides predictions andexplanations of the latest prediction research. The Kuroshio Large Meander has also been explained in numerous
articles, not limited to JAMSTEC research, and has beenfeatured in the media, contributing to the spread of knowledge about the Kuroshio Large Meander. For example, therelationship between the Kuroshio and snow is from a new
study by Prof. Hirohiko Nakamura of Kagoshima University after 2004/2005. As a result, research on the relationship between the Kuroshio Current and the climate has
become widely known, which has led to an expanded interest in the Kuroshio Large Meander itself, not just limited toits effect on the ocean.

The Kuroshio's Future

shio jumps out of the shallow East China Sea into thedeep Pacific Ocean, turning north at a steep angle withthe coastline. Because of this coastal/undersea terrain, theKuroshio Current path tends to swell and bulge like a dotted line (small meander). If this small meander encountersfavorable conditions, then it grows while being swept eastby the Kuroshio Current, becoming the Large Meander.
As the meander grows larger, it is affected by the rotation
and roundness of the earth, and its tendency to head west
(called the β effect) becomes stronger. The balance between
the power to move west and the Kuroshio's power to flow
east makes the Large Meander last for more than a year.
Furthermore, the Izu Ridge in the east also prevents themeander from flowing east and contributes to prolonging
the Large Meander.

Predicting the Kuroshio Large Meander andDisseminating Information
The Japan Coastal Ocean Predictability Experiment(JCOPE) Group from the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth
Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) has been predicting the Kuroshio's current path since 2001. If the growthfrom the small meander to the large meander, as describedabove, is followed, then it will be possible to predict occurrences of the Kuroshio Large Meander. In fact, following
the 2004/2005 Large Meander, the current Kuroshio Large
Meander, which began in 2017, was also successfully pre-For ocean researchers, the Kuroshio Large Meander is
one of the Kuroshio Current’s patterns that occurs whencertain conditions are met, and is not considered an unusual
phenomenon. Looking at the past durations of the Kuroshio
Large Meander (Table 1), the Kuroshio Large Meander's
duration was quite long in the 1980s, etc., and sometimes
lasted more than four years, as in the 1970s. However, if
you take the past twenty years since the 1990s, it was only
seen in 2004/2005, so there may have been many people
who were surprised to learn the Kuroshio could change
so much. In Ocean Newsletter No.323. (2014), Dr. Yasumasa Miyazawa introduces the view that the power of theKuroshio current washing out to the east will see a relative
increase with further advance in global warming, and thatstable Kuroshio Meanders, which last for a long time, willbe less likely to occur. However, as of February 2019, thepresent Kuroshio Large Meander has continued for about
1 year and 6 months, has already lasted longer than the
duration of the previous two Kuroshio Large Meanders,and is likely to continue for a long time. This reaffirmedthat the Kuroshio Current’s path could continue to change■Table 1: Starting months, ending months, and durations of
the Kuroshio Large Meanders since 1965.
Start

End

Duration1Aug. 1975

Mar. 1980

4 years 8 months

2

Nov. 1981

May 1984

2 years 7 months

3

Dec. 1986

Jul. 1988

1 year 8 months

4

Dec. 1989

Dec. 1990

1 year 1 month

5

Jul. 2004

Aug. 2005

1 year 2 months

6Aug. 2017(Continues)?

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The Kuroshio Large Meander and its Impacts

significantly and continue for an extended period of time.
As such, it is necessary to keep in mind the aforementioned
effects, in addition to fishery policies and storm surge
measures, when selecting sites for maritime transport andmaritime current power generation sites, which is currently
progressing.
However, it should be noted that nature is complex andthat impacts of the Kuroshio Large Meander on fishing andthe weather are difficult to prove, and that this is just one ofmany factors, which are intertwined. For example, there isa view that the poor catch of eels in 2018 may be related to
the Kuroshio Large Meander, but, according to Dr. Yu-Lin
Chang, researcher at JAMSTEC, the relationship is a negative one. There still remain the mysteries of the Kuroshio
Large Meander's influence and why the Kuroshio Large
Meander has lasted so long this time, but taking this Large
Meander as an opportunity we will advance our researchon what the Kuroshio brings to Japan's natural and social
environments. The JCOPE Group also intends to use theKuroshio forecast to provide useful information to society.
■

Ocean Newsletter
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Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency’s Contribution
to SDGs: Promotion of the SH“U”N Project[KEYWORDS] SDGs / SH"U"N Project / seafood sustainability

Yoshioki OOZEKI
Senior Advisor, Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency(Ocean Newsletter No. 450, 5 May 2019)

Leading up to the hosting of the Tokyo Olympics / Paralympics, many SDG themed events are being
held around the country, gradually raising consciousness in society about sustainable development.
Among the various initiatives concerning ocean resources such as seafood, I would like tointroduce how the Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency is promoting one of its outreachactivities, the SH “U” N Project.

Increased Awareness of Sustainability for the
Olympics
About two years ago, when I asked some people on thestreet, "Do you know what SDGs are?", I got reactions
such as, "Is that some sort of vaccination?" But now, there
is a feeling that this word has quickly spread ahead of theTokyo Olympics. People from major companies are also
saying, "We have to be engaged in SDGs from now on," butwhen they are asked what actions should be taken related tofisheries, they answer, "It's going to be serving dishes using
an eco-labelled fish in the company cafeteria, isn’t it?"
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the sustainable development goals included in the "2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development" adopted at the United Nations
Sustainable Development Summit in September 2015. Thisis a global master plan consisting of 17 development goals
aimed at realizing a sustainable society by 2030. Goal 14,"Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine
resources for sustainable development," includes marine
resources such as seafood.
After the London 2012 Olympics, "Ensuring Environmental Sustainability" was praised as a theme that should
be carried forward, and consideration of the sustainabilityof seafood to be served during the event also became arequirement. This has been passed on to the Tokyo Games,
and the promotion of SDGs in Japan has been accelerated
by the government's decision in 2017 on the "SDGs Action
Plan 2018."

Promotion of SDGs in the Fisheries Industry
The fisheries industry uses naturally reproducing seafood
resources that can be used in a sustainable way if properly
managed. However, it is not easy for the general public toknow if it is being properly managed, so a fisheries ecolabel has been devised. In this eco-label initiative, the certification review organization examines the status of individual fishery products based on their resource status, fishingstatus, environmental impact, etc., on behalf of consumers, and then labels and sells the products that have been
approved. Through these activities the review organization
will correct fisheries that adversely affect resources and the■Figure 1: "Fisheries System" Concept for the SH"U"N Project (Japan Marine
Fishery Research Center, 2009, modified)[Fish in the Ocean], [Marine Ecosystem], [Fishing Activities in the Sea], [Local Industry andSociety Around the Fishery], and [Health, Safety, and Security] of food -- fisheries products
cannot be used sustainably unless efforts are made in all these areas.

environment. The MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) andASC (Aquaculture Stewardship Council) are well known
worldwide. You may have recently seen the MSC mark at
major mass retailers, but only a few types of seafood havebeen certified in Japan. MEL (Marine Ecolabel Japan) is
a Japanese fishery ecolabel, and even though they certify
more than 50 fisheries, they still do not have full penetration at stores. As a result, there are only a very few SDGcompatible dishes, such as catfish imported from Vietnam
and scallops from Hokkaido, served in the company cafeteria mentioned earlier.
Japan's fisheries industry has a history of well over 2,000
years. Many species have been fished sustainably, and somore than 1,000 fish species and brands are traded in thefisheries market. In order to seriously promote SDGs, each
citizen needs to be aware of sustainable resource use, in
addition to the ecolabels, and to have the correct knowledge
about how to enjoy seafood in season. Furthermore, it isimportant to ensure that communities producing marine
resources can continue to produce sound and sustainableproducts (Goal 8: Economic growth and employment).
The National Research and Development Agency, Japan
Fisheries Research and Education Agency (FRA) wasestablished with the aim of supporting domestic fishermen
from the standpoint of research institutions and supportOcean Newsletter
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Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency’s Contribution to SDGs: Promotion of the SH“U”N Projecting domestic consumers in their own efforts to maintain
resource sustainability. As part of its outreach programs forproviding scientific information in an easy-to-understandmanner, FRA launched the SH“U”N (Sustainable, Healthyand “Umai” Nippon seafood) project in 2016. Its main component derives from the results of resource surveys of manyfish species that the FRA has conducted over many years incooperation with prefectural fisheries research institutions.

The SH“U”N Project
The SH“U”N Project compiles and publishes information
on fishery resources, fishery status, fishery management,
etc., by production area and for each species. We hope that
consumers will use this as a source of information whenchoosing fish that are good both for their body and fornature, and that they will help producers acquire ecolabels.
This project is based on the “Grand Design of Fisheries
and Resources Management in Japan," compiled in 2009 by
the Fisheries Research Agency (predecessor to the current
FRA). In the project, the entire fish cycle in nature and society is called the "Fisheries System," and this involves fish
being born and growing, being caught by local fishermenin accordance with specific regulations, having their valueenhanced on land through processing and distribution, andfinally being eaten at the table of each family as delicious
food. We believe that making the entire "Fisheries System"
strong, robust, and smooth leads to sustainable use that at
the same time protects marine resources. (Fig. 1)
Based on this understanding, as a perspective for evaluation, it has been decided that the viewpoint of sustainability should take into account not only the sustainabilityof marine resources and marine ecosystems, but also thesustainability of the local culture and economy. To ensurethat consumers can purchase Japan's sustainable marine
products with peace of mind, FRA evaluates from four perspectives, including the status of marine ecosystems, fisheries management, local culture, and local socio-economic
conditions, in addition to the level of marine resources, andthen distributes that information to consumers along withproduct information such as nutrition and food safety.
FRA is Japan's only com- ■Figure 2: SH"U"N Project
prehensive research institute Homepage QR Codefor fisheries, but the fishermen
themselves and the local fisheries administration organizations
are often more familiar with theirareas. Therefore, after experts
at FRA have prepared a draft
evaluation report, they listen toopinions from people involved http://sh-u-n.fra.go.jp/?lang=en

in the fisheries under evaluation to deal in advance withinformation leaks and misunderstandings. At the same time,it has been decided to invite public comment on the draft
evaluation report and publish responses to those comments.
In addition, an external review committee is also held to see
if there are any problems with the chain of responses.
The evaluation results are published on the website in aform that corresponds to the item name and place of origin displayed at the store(Fig. 2). By citing references andevidenced data, we hope that these results will be used as ascientific information source in the certification and examination of fishery ecolabels. So far, evaluation results for 10
fish species have been published, while a further 6 species,
including Japanese sardines from the Tsushima Current,
will be published soon, and work is underway on 7 species,
including Pacific cod in the Tohoku region. Our plan is tohave published evaluations for around 50 species by theend of this year, when procurement for the Tokyo Olympics
begins. In addition, a smartphone app has been released sothat consumers can think about the sustainable use of fishery products in a more informal way.
Society has undergone major changes in the past two
years since this project started. In seafood procurement for
the Tokyo Olympics, attention is being paid to the resource
management plans nationwide. The Fishery Act was revisedat the end of last year, and now resource management
incorporates the concept of establishing and maintaining
scientific achievement targets. Under these circumstances,
we believe that the importance of appropriate outreachactivities for consumers will become increasingly important■
going forward.

Ocean Newsletter
Selected Papers / No.24●30