83
June
2023

One World, One Family

Holding of the “Arctic Circle Japan Forum”
From March 4 (Sat.) to March 6 (Mon.), the Ocean Policy
Research Institute of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation (OPRISPF) held the “Arctic Circle Japan Forum” jointly with the
Arctic Circle1 based in Iceland and The Nippon Foundation. The
forum was attended by approx. 300 participants comprising Artic
Council officers, government personnel, researchers, businesspeople, and NPO representatives from approx. 20 countries andregions. Speakers representing the Japanese Government included
H.E. Ms. Keiko Nagaoka, Minister of Education, Culture,
Sports, Science and Technology; H.E. Mr. Akihiko Nishimura,
Minister of the Environment; and H.E. Mr. Shunichi Suzuki,
Minister of Finance. From overseas, speakers included H.E. Mr.
Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, Chairman of Arctic Circle and former
President of Iceland; and H.E. Mr. Gudlaugur Thór Thórdarson,
Minister of the Environment, Energy and Climate of Iceland. The
theme for this year’s forum was “ASIA IN THE FUTURE OF
THE ARCTIC: Science - Geopolitics - Economy - Oceans Climate – Technology”, and proactive discussions were conducted
regarding participating countries’ Arctic policies and international
cooperation from an Asian perspective.
Against the background of sea ice decreasing in recent years
due to global warming, interest in the Arctic has been increasing
both within Japan and in other countries. In particular, a switch
to full commercial use of the Northern Sea Route connecting
Europe and Asia is anticipated in the future for around 60% ofships sailing southern routes via the Suez Canal and the Malacca
Straits. Moreover, the Arctic holds a multitude of mineral resources
as well as undiscovered oil and gas reserves, so efforts to developthese resources are becoming increasing active in various regions.
Thus when considering Japan’s future development, the Arctic is
expected to become more and more important moving forward.
However, the fact that the sea ice is decreasing does not change thefact that the Arctic continues to be a special environment where itis difficult to conduct economic activities due to the harsh naturalenvironment, insufficient infrastructure, and fragile ecosystem.
Accordingly, accurate information, knowledge and skills, andinternational cooperation are all necessary for protecting theArctic environment appropriately.
The Sasakawa Peace Foundation has been focusing on Arctic
Ocean dynamics since very early on. For more than 30 years, it
has been implementing various related projects. One of thoseprojects, the International Northern Sea Route Development
Plan (INSROP), was jointly carried out - from 1993 to 1999 - by
1 Arctic Circle is the largest network of international dialogue and cooperation on the
future of the Arctic and our Planet. The organization's annual Assembly, held each Octoberin Iceland, and regional forums held irregularly together with national governments, NGOs,
and other organizations interested in the Arctic are events where representatives of thegovernments of not only Arctic countries but countries throughout the world, indigenous
Arctic groups, private companies, NGOs, research institutions, researchers, and otherArctic stakeholders can come together in one place to discuss Arctic issues. Held in March,
the Japan Forum is one of Arctic Circle’s regional forums.

H.E. Mr. Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson

1

No.83

Russian and Norwegian research organizations, with the supportof The Nippon Foundation. The purpose of the project was toexplore the possibility of a Northern Sea Route traversing theArctic, which had been impervious to navigation since the dawnof time. Through various studies and actual navigation testing, theproject determined that it is technologically possible to operate
ships in the Arctic Ocean all year round and received high praiseworldwide. In opening speech of Mr. Yohei Sasakawa, Chairmanof The Nippon Foundation, he also touched on the foundations's
contribution to the Arctic.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------(The following is an excerpt from Chairman Sasakawa’s
speech.)Thirty years ago, developing a northern sea route was thought
to be impossible. However, I felt a sense of romance regarding
the Arctic Circle, which was unknown territory for humankind.
Together with Professor Emeritus Hiromitsu Kitagawa and Mr.
Eisuke Kudo, we attempted to realize the “Dream Shipping
Route”. One of these projects was the International Northern
Sea Route Development Plan (INSROP), which was jointly
conducted over a 10-year period by Norway’s Fridtjof Nansen
Institute and Russia’s Central Marine Research & Design.
Institute (CNIIMF). We also implemented an equivalent but
independent Japanese project, the JANSROP ( Japan Northern
Sea Route Programme). The results of these initiatives received
high praise among the international community and were eventaken up by the Arctic Council. Today, the “Dream Route” that
I romanticized and approached as a challenge into the unknown
has become a reality, with the number of ships using the Northern
Sea Route rapidly increasing worldwide.
The oceans, including the Arctic Ocean, are in crisis. There
are many and myriad issues related to the Arctic Circle, includingchanges to the natural environment of the Arctic Ocean caused
by global warming, the impact on ecosystems and indigenous
peoples, and the danger to island countries caused by rising sea
levels due to melting ice, and realization of my long-held romantic
dream of the Arctic Circle is being threatened. SDG 14 LIFEBELOW WATER states that “Healthy oceans and seas are
essential to our existence.” Accordingly, a threat to the oceans,including the Arctic Ocean, is a threat to human existence. Up
until now, however, Japan and other countries have unfortunately
had no clear vision of how they should be involved in Arctic
Ocean issues. Now is surely the time when we need to peacefully
and in an orderly manner work to sustainability maintain and2manage the Arctic Ocean under the philosophy that “The oceans
are a common asset of humankind.”-----------------------------------------------------------------------------In the past, the Arctic States² have maintained discussions
even during international emergency. Utilizing the platform of
the Arctic Council, they have been continuously endeavoring
to resolve various issues facing the Arctic. However, following
drastic changes of international situation in 2021, sparking a war
that continues to this day, the Arctic Council’s functions werecompletely suspended, with the result that dialogue as well as joint
research and observations have also been suspended, creating acrisis situation. In May 2023, chairship of the Arctic Council wassmoothly transferred from Russia to Norway, but the future of theCouncil is difficult to foresee.
However, as Chairman Sasakawa mentioned in his speech,
the environmental changes occurring in the Arctic are becoming
more and more serious as each day passes, and we need to urgently
take measures to prevent these changes. One outcome of theForum was the opportunity for discussing Arctic matters with theactive participation of not only government representatives, butalso scientists and indigenous peoples. In the session on "Dialogue
on the Arctic: Japan, China and Korea", the Japanese, Chinese andKorean Ambassadors for Arctic Affairs held fruitful discussion.
The importance of having Asian States continuing to tackle Arctic
issues was particularly emphasized. Furthermore, in the session
on "Global Consequences of Melting Ice", discussions were held
between H.E. Mr. Gudlaugur Thór Thórdarson and Mr. Hiroyuki
Enomoto, Deputy Director of Japan’s National Institute of Polar
Research, and a strong message was issued stating the importanceof raising awareness in the region through cooperation in order toprotect against damage caused by global warming.
Environmental changes in the Arctic are progressing at a
rapid pace with no regard to international situation, with glaciermelting impacting the entire world. Isn’t it time that we all cometogether under the philosophy of “One Ocean, One Future” andthink about Arctic issues?

2 Formed in 1996 by the eight states within the Arctic Circle with territory
north of latitude 66°33’ N (Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway,
Russia, Sweden, and the USA), the Arctic Council is a forum where high-levelgovernment representatives gather to discuss common Arctic issues.

No.83

The Most Robust Sector in the Maritime Industry:
In-Water Cleaning of Ship Hulls- Robotics, Artificial Intelligence and Global Efforts to Save Our Environment
Mr. Yusik Kim
CEO, TAS GLOBAL Co., Ltd.
Member of the Global Industry Alliance
for Marine Biosafety

Robotic In-Water Cleaning (IWC) is one of the fastest growing
and developing sectors in the maritime industry. Driven by IMO’s
greenhouse gas reduction (GHG) convention and the GloFoulingPartnerships Project, it aims to preserve aquatic biodiversity. IWC isthe best way to maintain a ship’s energy efficiency; thus, the robotic
IWC system, with its capture and water treatment capabilities,
is needed for keeping off aquatic invasive species from the hulls of
ships. Evidently, IWC demand is soaring, and the supply paradigm istransforming from divers to robots with capture and water treatment.
Let me elaborate on the reasons these robotic IWC technologies areneeded and what fascinating technologies will be arriving soon.

levels of fouling, biofouling needs to be captured at a certain rate andtreated at a certain level.
IWC is done in terminals, anchorage and ships are up to 400
m long, 65 m wide, 20 m deep, total wetted area can be well above
20,000m2, and these biofouling don’t come off easily. Visual range canbe 20 cm and shorter, less than 1 m tight area between the wall, sea
bottom from the hull, and in complete darkness. In anchorages, there
are strong currents and waves. Even without biofouling capture andwater treatment, this is not a job for human, because then the divers
Why Do We Need IWC?
have to drag 10cm in diameter, at least 100m long capture hose andBiofoulings are biofilms - or simply, slime, algae, sea grass, cables.
barnacles, etc., and yes, they normally build up in this order. Biofouling
These IWC robots are also called Remotely Operated Vehicles
increases surface roughness of hulls, reducing the speed of the vessels. (ROV), and there are about a dozen ROVs at present, but their
Antifouling coatings work well, but not 100% perfectly. Transparent locomotive technologies are only based on 3 methods: magnetic belts,
partial biofilms and barnacles can reduce speeds of vessels down to thrusters, and magnetic wheels. The performance of these ROVs vary
1.7% and 15%, respectively. This implies that 5% to 62% extra fuel is significantly in efficiency
needed to recoup the speed loss. Speed and fuel consumption have (sometimes 10 times),
an exponential relationship; greenhouse gas emissions are directly capture rate, waterproportional to fuel consumption. Altogether, biofouling is responsible treatment, and location
for an extra $10~20 billion USD in fuel cost, and 0.30%~0.6% in extra flexibility. No system
CO2 emissions to the world total of CO2 emissions annually. For is alike. No system has
shipping companies, it means millions to billions in extra fuel cost. been authenticated and
IWC is therefore financially beneficial and necessary to reduce ships’ certified at global level,
GHG emissions.
in all aspects, when
this is written. There
GHG Reduction Convention
might be one that
From 2023, ships of 5,000 gross tonnage and above will be rated passes Global Industry Standard, made by Baltic and InternationalA, B, C, D, E, according to the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII). If Maritime Council (BIMCO), solving the identified major obstacle
ships are rated D for three consecutive years or rated E even once, raised by IMO’s 2nd GloFouling Partnership Task Force meeting inthese ships must submit a corrective action plan to illustrate how a April 2022.
rating C or above will be obtained in a given period. These companies
Other than the ROVs, more technologies are coming, artificial
must clean the ships or most likely, speed down. As of 2019, about intelligence hull inspection has reached above 96 % accuracy on
48% of global fleets are rated D or E. As this CII rating gets tougher finding fouling, 99.6% on species recognition. Early biofoulingeach year, IWC would provide one of the best ways to act on the CII warning system based on deep learning, latest generation of hullconvention. Some bulk carriers and tankers are even increasing their performance analysis and prediction based on deep learning, multi
IWC frequency to five times higher than before.
and fully autonomous ROVs. In addition, in the very near future, these
ROVs will have robotic arms to clean niche areas and repair ships
The GloFouling Partnerships Project
under water. Lastly, another major obstacle, capture test method, isAs a sister project of the GloBallast Partnerships Project, the being developed using semi bio and artificial biofouling.
GloFouling Partnerships Project addresses the transfer of harmful
This new generation of robotic IWC industry is exciting, as
aquatic species through biofouling on the hulls of vessels. The revised it not only saves our atmosphere but also ocean pollution, reducing
guidelines from 2011 are to pass in 2023 and are not a convention fuel cost of ships. The industry is growing very fast and still much toyet; however, many countries are abiding by the guideline-based learn about the robotic IWC. I hope readers find this article inspiring
regulations. The guidelines, in short, specify that ships should maintain however you’re involved; as users, authorities or perhaps, the industry
at most biofilm level, and when the ship is being cleaned at different itself.
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No.83

Approaching Industry 5.0
Knowledge - Collaboration - Innovation

instant communication, and unprecedented connectivity. Being humanin this context means being able to navigate and critically evaluate theabundance of information, distinguish between reliable sources, and use
technology to enhance our learning and understanding.
Digital Intelligence, Identity and Presence: In today’s digital world,
we need an understanding of what the digital tools can, and should, be
able to ‘do’. As individuals we have an online presence through social
media, digital profiles, and governmental online platforms. Our digital
identities are extensions of ourselves, presenting opportunities for selfexpression, networking, and engagement. However, it is essential toremember that our digital personas are curated representations and may
not capture the entirety of our human experience.

Jillian Carson-Jackson, M.Ed., FNI, FRIN
President, The Nautical InstituteManaging Director, JCJ Consulting

What does it mean to be human in an increasingly digital world?
Even as I promote digitalisation, teaching the use of decision support
tools with integrated artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning(ML), I am continually questioning and asking myself; What does itmean to be ‘me’, to be human, while using digital tools? Working withtechnology, rather than working for technology?
We have spent the past century inventing and refining norms
for organisations, leadership and collaboration—norms that suitedthe problems and technology of 100 years ago. But we are now facing
new challenges: adapting to a post pandemic world, dealing with
the implications of climate change, working towards a sustainable
environment which calls for us to evolve, to find new solutions.

SkillsAdaptability and Lifelong Learning: The digital landscape evolves
rapidly, requiring individuals to adapt and acquire new skills continually.
Being human in a digital world involves embracing a growth mindset,
being open to learning, and developing skills to navigate emerging
technologies effectively. It also means recognizing the importance ofhuman qualities such as creativity and emotional intelligence, thatcomplement technological advancements.
Critical Thinking: As we encounter an increasingly fast pace ofchange, we cannot ‘learn’ what we need in the traditional sense. We can,however, develop our own ability to think critically – analysing what
is presented, using our knowledge and digital intelligence to work
effectively with the different, and evolving, digital tools available to us.

This societal shift means
we need to evolve our skillsets,
developing a new mindset for work,and teamwork. We need to ensure
equal, and equitable, access to digitalskills, addressing the digital divide.
According to The World
Economic Forum (WEF), by 2025
technology advances will result inmachines and humans spending
equal amounts of time solving tasks.
We are beginning to see this in the
Humans and Machines Collaborating
recent developments in AI, and the(Image created using AI)
speed of change is increasing. The
consequence of this means that over 85 million jobs will change in justfive years, creating new roles that we can’t even imagine yet.
This means we need to navigate an uncertain and rapidly changing
global ecosystem. The Organization for Economic Cooperation andDevelopment (OECD) Learning Compass 2030 has been created toprovide a framework that supports a future vision for learning, educationand development. Building on the existing educational concepts ofKnowledge (creating value); Skills (taking responsibility) and Attitudes(recognising and adapting competencies) the OECD learning compass
now includes Values (reconciling tensions and dilemmas).

Attitudes
Physical and Biological Existence: Despite digital advancements,
humans remain biological beings with physical bodies and basic
needs. The integration of digital technologies into our lives should notovershadow the importance of maintaining our physical health, wellbeing, and human connections. Our attitudes towards ourselves, andtowards others, and celebrating our differences is key to our future
strength in a human/machine collaborative environment.
Social Interactions and Relationships: Human connection
and social interactions are fundamental. In the digital world, theseconnections can take place through social media, video calls, online
communities, and virtual reality. While digital interactions offer
convenience and enable global connectivity while reducing emissions,
it is important to provide balance with meaningful and personalconnections, interactions and face-to-face relationships.
Values
Ethical Considerations: As technology increasingly integrates
into our lives, ethical questions arise. We need to grappling with moral
dilemmas related to data privacy, surveillance, algorithmic biases, andthe impact of automation on employment. We need to consider the
ethical implications of our digital choices and advocate for responsible
and inclusive technology development.
Striking a Balance: Being human in an increasingly digital worldnecessitates finding a balance between the benefits of technology andthe preservation of our humanity. It entails using digital tools andplatforms to enhance our lives, work, and relationships while being
mindful of the potential pitfalls such as digital addiction, information
overload, and social disconnection.
In summary, being human in an increasingly digital world entails
embracing the opportunities andchallenges presented by technology
while remaining grounded in ourphysical existence, maintaining
meaningfulconnections,nurturing our ethical compass, andcontinually adapting to a changing
landscape.

Knowledge
Information and Knowledge: The digital age has revolutionizedaccess to information and knowledge with vast repositories of data,

OECD Compass (ref: https://www.oecd.org/education/2030-project/under Creative Commons Licence)

Shared4

No.83

8th Our Ocean Conference in Panama
Working Together Towards Achieving a Sustainable Ocean

Masanori Kobayashi,
Senior Research Fellow,
Ocean Policy Research Institute of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation

The 8th Our Ocean Conference (OOC) was held in Panama City
from 2 – 3 March 2023. It is an initiative originally launched by then US
State Secretary John Kerry in 2014 to engage government leaders andhigh-level stakeholder representatives to develop partnership to protect
the ocean from pollution and marine resource depletion and to promotea sustainable ocean and sustainable marine resource management.
Delegates pledged 341 commitments – planned activities worth $20
billion in total. H.E. Laurentino Cortizo Cohen, President, Republicof Panama addressed the Conference together with Foreign Minister,
Environment Minister, US Presidential Envoy for Climate, President of
Palau, Prime Minister of Fiji and so many leaders and other prominent
experts. The participants discussed (i) marine protected areas, (ii)marine pollution, (iii) climate change, (iv) sustainable fisheries, (v)blue economy, and (vi) maritime security. Reference was also made tosustainable tourism, marine plastic pollution and ecological connectivity.
3 persons from OPRI-SPF attended the Conference. OPRISPF organized a side event on sustainable blue economies in island andlow-lying countries. OPRISPF sponsored 12 students
to attend the Our Ocean
Youth Leadership Summit
held from 27 February – 1
March 2023 and OOC. I
moderated the Youth Session
on Day 2. A youth delegate
articulated the adverse impacts of sargassum (brown colored seaweed/
algae) outbreak in the Caribbean presumably due to the eutrophication
caused by the discharge of fertilizers in the continental countries. He
learned the method from a German expert who came to a university in
Trinidad and Tobago and experimented the conversion of sargassum tobioenergy. The recording can be viewed at YouTube (@minrexpanama).
After spectacular cultural performance, Foreign Minister Janaina
Tewaney Mencomo of Panama welcomed the participants. Mr. Juan
Monterrey, Director of Geoversity’s School of Biocultural Leadership
advocated to eliminate subsidies to fisheries, rid subsidies to fossil fuels,and enact a global moratorium on deep sea mining. Environment
Minister Milciades Concepción of Panama followed to articulate
the Panama’s ocean conservation policies and programs. President

5

The author (left)

Laurentino Cortizo Cohen of Panama underlined the significance of
the Conference and the Panama’s initiative for a sustainable ocean. At
the Conference, leadership spoke about their policies eloquently. Experts
spoke and interacted vibrantly at thematic panels. Representatives
made 1 minute statement on their commitment of actions to achievea sustainable ocean. The Conference was very intense, informative, andinspiring.
Panama is positioned to be very special on ocean issues. The
Panama Canal connects the Pacific and the Atlantic. Over 14,200 shops
passed through the Panama Canal in 2022. The revenue from the tollreaches $4.2 billion with the assumption that about 40% of the proceeds
goes to the Panama’s General Treasury and could constitute about 3 percent of its GDP. Having the revenue from the Canal gives an advantage
and self-reliance in promoting the sustainable management of the
Panama’s natural resources. While EU and Japan targets to achieve a net
zero greenhouse gases (GHGs) emission by 2050, Panama has achieved
the net zero and now goes beyond it by promoting carbon sequestrationin vast forest covers. Panama, Bhutan and Suriname are members of the
Alliance of Carbon Negative Countries. Panama also joined Ecuador,
Colombia and Costa Rica in expanding marine protected areas in the
Eastern Pacific in 2021
called “Eastern Tropical
Pacific Marine Corridor(CMAR)”.
Panamahosted the 19th Meetingof the Conference of theParties to the Convention
on International Tradein Endangered Speciesof Wild Fauna and Flora(CITES COP19) in November 2022 and spearheaded the adoptionof conservation measures including the listing of 54 sharks species inAppendix II to regulate their trade.
The Panama Canal is a landmark to visit. The Panama City Fish
Market is a lively place to see diverse local fish and cheerful retailors.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency ( JICA) supported its
construction in 1995. Panama offers a lot more to see. I encourage you
to see vibrant blue economy efforts there if you have a chance to visit
Panama.
No.83

Alarm Bells for Ocean Acidification- Please Visit Frineds of WMU, Japan Website for Full Contents On February 2nd, the Nippon Foundation hosted aninternational symposium titled, Ocean Acidification: A Crisisin the Making, as part of the Back to Blue initiative with The
Economist Group in Tokyo, Japan. In his opening remarks,
Chairman Sasakawa called for urgent action to tackle this crisisby thinking and acting together in order to pass on “Mother
Ocean” to future generations for thousands of years and beyond.
UK Plymouth Marine Laboratory Science Director andco-chair of the Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network,
Prof. Steve Widdicombe, who has
been researching the biologicaleffects of ocean acidification forabout 20 years, stated, “The health ofthe marine ecosystem is threatened
by global warming, deoxygenation,
and acidification.”
The full text of his manuscript,
Prof. Steve Widdicombe

which was written in an easy-to-understand format for thisnewsletter, is posted on Friends of WMU, Japan website. We
would like all of our Fellows to read the contents – as professionals
working closely with the ocean, this matter is sure to be highly
relevant.
Please visit following link for the full text:

https://www.wmujapan.net/global-data/20230626144609473.pdf

WMU Viet Nam Alumni Chapter Organzined
the Celebration of World Maritime University's 40th Anniversary

Dat Viet Hai Tran
(Viet Nam, 2017)

To commemorate the World Maritime University’s(WMU) awakening achievements in the 40 years since its
foundation, 56 Vietnamese alumni showed outstanding
solidarity by organizing a ceremony on 12 May, 2023.
Mr. Kitack Lim, the Secretary General of the International
Maritime Organization (IMO) and a 1991 alumnus, attended
the ceremony as a guest of honor.
Participants were shown a video of WMU history and theimage of all Vietnamese students since 1991, and looked backfondly on beautiful memories of the campus. In his opening
remark, Mr. Dao Dinh Tien, Chairman of the WMU Viet Nam
Alumni Chapter proudly stated the historical development of
WMU, the significant role played by the institution in shaping
the careers of alumni in Viet Nam and meaningful activities ofViet Nam Alumni Chapter over the years. He also highlighted
skills imparted by WMU have enabled the alumni to contribute
greatly to the development of Viet Nam’s maritime industry
and transportation sector.
In his keynote speech, Mr. Kitack Lim referenced the
WMU’s legacy and its excellence in maritime education,
6

research and capacity building over the past 40 years, serving
the IMO mission by offering stakeholders unparalleled accessto a global network of experts, knowledge, and expertise tosupport the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
He also mentioned that his visits to various maritime related
destinations in Viet Nam impressed him with the rapid
development of Viet Nam’s maritime industry, and made apromise to support Viet Nam’s maritime industry in the future.
Mr. Nguyen Hoang, Deputy Director of Maritime
Administration of Viet Nam who is also a WMU fellow
expressed his sincere gratitude to Mr. Kitack Lim for IMO’s
contribution to the global maritime community, especiallyensuring safety, security and sustainability of the maritime
industry.
The meeting concluded with the singing of the WMUsong, a beautiful tradition, together with Mr. Kitack Lim.
The WMU Viet Nam Alumni Chapter intends toorganize the celebration of 20 years anniversary in the end of2023 for the purpose of further strengthening the relationshipbetween the WMU Viet Nam Alumni.
No.83

WMU Alumni Finds Each Other at JICA's
Alluring Training Program
Mai Thanh Truc Nguyen

Mirana Rabarijaona(WMU 2019, Viet Nam)

(WMU 2017, Madagascar)

I was fortunate enough to attend the Sustainable Port
Development course in Japan. The program was organized by JICA,
OCDI, and other affiliated organizations. During the two months
duration of this program, I had a chance to visit numerous ports inJapan where I was exposed to cutting-edge cargo handling, automatedsystems, and eco-friendly port practices (Green port). Witnessingthese advancements firsthand instilled me a deeper understanding of
the significance of sustainable port development – a balance between
economic growth and environmental conservation.

The theoretical part of the studies was conducted online,
started in September 2022 and the visit to Japan mostly consistedof visiting ports and infrastructures in the context of field studies.
Through the program, the member of JICA in collaboration withpartner organizations, led us on tours to the majestic ports of Osaka,
Kobe, Hakata, Fukuoka, and Shimonoseki, each of which displayed
its own attributes, characteristics, and resilience. We also visited
some of Japan’s infrastructural wonders, including the Akashi Kaikyo
Bridge and Tokyo Skytree while being welcomed by businesses which
produce port-related materials and equipments such as Shibata
Industrial Co.,Ltd. and Fudo Tetra Corporation.

During the training,
I could reconnect with myWMU classmate who are now
residing in Japan. The reunion
was a moving and gratifying
event and she broadened myknowledge in maritime policies,
sustainable port development. I
am eager to apply my newfound knowledge and skills to contribute toour maritime industry’s growth.
Overall, the trip was an
exceptional experience that broadened
my horizons, enhanced my knowledge,
and facilitated valuable connections
with industry peers. It emphasized
the importance of encouraging global
cooperation, knowledge-sharing, andfriendship among maritime professionals
worldwide.

I met Mai-san, who enrolled in
the same program. When we realized
both of us attended WMU, we joyfully
hugged each other as though we founda long-lost relative. She introduced me
to Mr. E.Kudo as well as Ms. Y.Suzuki(2003) and Mr.K.Taguchi (2022),
both WMU Sasakawa Fellows. The
program culminated with the individual
presentation of our action plans which
we are to bring back to our respective
countries for the purpose of sustainable development. A ceremony was
conducted to officially close the program and for us participant to beawarded our completion certificates.
The overall experience was amazing, and I will always treasure
the souvenirs of each day I spent in Japan.

7

No.83

Introduction to JICA's Training Program in JapanJICA provides a variety of learning opportunities
for people who engage in maritime affiars. Many
Sasakawa fellows have participated in the past andreturned to their home country with new knowledge
and connections with world wide maritime peers andglobal industry. These programs are provided manly forgovernment officials from countries designated by JICA
each fiscal year. Please note that all the candidates fora training program should be officially recommended
by their government. Please contact your government’s
relevant department to apply for a course.

FY2023 Course

For details, please visit:https://www.jica.go.jp/english/faq/faq.html#02

Reunion with My Little Son "Kavinu"
Kelum Prasanga JALATH MUNASINGHE(Sri Lanka, 2022)

I’m excited to share my thoughts and experiences on
my son, who was one month old when I arrived in Malmö toattend WMU as a Sasakawa family member.
My life was totally changed after the son “Kavinu”
came to our world on August 4, 2021. The happiest day of mylife served as a turning point that has changed the person I
am. Being a father is an emotion that cannot be adequately
articulated in words. When I make the decision to travel toMalmö, the adorable smile and cries of little Kavinu put me ina tough situation of choosing whether to leave the home.
I was able to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity
to study in Malmö thanks to The Nippon Foundation and SPF.
One of the greatest achievements of my life would have been
completing my master’s degree in maritime affairs with thehelp of friends in WMU, faculty, and staff. On the other side, I
had to leave my wife and son alone in the house, which madethis difficult for me.
Now I am back with my child and wife and spending
happiest day of my life. Tiny Kavinu can now utter a few words
and go around the house playing with the toys that his motherhas bought for him. He always waits for me to get home fromwork before coming over and giving me a hug.
The opportunity, I had in life to study at the World
Maritime University and receive a fellowship from the
Sasakawa Foundation, was extraordinary, unanticipated andremarkable. One of the best opportunities I’ve ever had willbe this one. I have been able to scar my child’s beautiful smile
for a year, but now that I am recalling that experience I had in
Sweden with a proud and well satisfied mind. I’m thrilled to
be able to share it with my child as a proud parent to motivate
him in life as he grows up.

Southern

new growth ring each year. By continuously

in Japan we have already welcomed spring,of “One World, One Family”, we are creating

The

NorthernandHemispheres have different seasons, andwith the cherry blossoms heralding spring’s
advent flowering and the amount of sunlightincreasing each day, bringing warmth. The

trees are lushly approaching abundance,

and their trunks have firmly added a
new growth ring. The Friends of WMU,

Japan also continues to expand, adding aadding new members under the philosophy
a bountiful forest. Currently there are some
760 Friends of WMU throughout the world.
The Friends of WMU, Japan Newsletter is

continuing its efforts to provide the soil for
conveying information about this forest, so

please make sure you have taken root firmly
in the forest floor.

Dr. Koji Murai
Tokyo University ofMarine Scienceand Technology

Cherry blossom in TUMSAT

This newsletter is published under a grant from The Nippon Foundation

to promote communication among the Sasakawa Fellows of WMU (World Maritime University)and edited by the Sasakawa Peace Foundation in cooperation with Dr. Koji Murai
Ms. Yasko Suzuki, Mr. Shun Masui, Mr. Eisuke Kudo and Ms. Sue Jackson.
Friends of WMU, Japan Secretariat, The Sasakawa Peace Foundation
The Sasakawa Peace Foudation Bldg., 1-15-16 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8524 Japan
Tel: +81-(0)3-5157-5263 Fax: +81-(0)3-5157-5230 URL: http://www.spf.org/en/

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