Introduction
The Nippon Foundation continues to provide a broad range of support throughout the world centered on sea-bound activities as well as in social welfare, education, cultural activities, international humanitarian support and developing human resources. I would like to introduce the principles with which the Nippon Foundation undertakes to foster caretakers of the seas in our global community.
Challenges
Humans have used the seas and benefited from them in very many ways as we continued our evolutionary progress. We have, however, treated the oceans as a Mr. Unno made a speech about developing human resources. receptacle for dumping the wastes that accumulate from our daily life, and exploited their resources mindlessly without putting in place adequate limits and regulations. If we continue to presume that the seas will continue forever to exist as in the past and abuse them as we have, our generation may recklessly consume their vital resources and fail to pass on to the next generation this common and indispensable heritage of mankind. The Nippon Foundation believes that passing on the seas to our successors in a sustainable condition is one of the most important responsibilities assigned to our generation. If the contamination of the ocean environment that spills beyond national boundaries endangers the lives of the people living in coastal areas, then we must find ways to cope with this issue by joining hands across national borders to prevent this. If the development and utilization of newly discovered seabed resources pose legal and policy issues unimagined in the past, we must cope with them with unconventional, fresh, and flexible minds. If there are activities that take the lives and property of people in certain regions of the ocean that are beyond a single nation to prevail against, we must unite to face the common enemy and recover and defend the natural order. If our human greed threatens to deplete fishery resources and destroy the complex balance of maritime ecology, then we must engage in discussions beyond particular interests and assumed domains, and pursue ways of handing over the seas sustainably to the next generation.
Present Initiatives in Addressing
the Issues
Under the circumstances it is wrong to think that we have done nothing. As a matter of fact, the international society has adopted certain initiatives to address the issues facing the seas. As is known, in accordance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea adopted in 1994, a new international framework was put in place that enables each country to undertake efficient measures to manage, preserve and use the sea and its resources. On the other hand, the enactment of an international law is hardly sufficient to arrest the deterioration of the ocean environment. While partnerships and collaboration between states and organizations within and between regions are needed in order to stop contamination for the simple reason that the seas of the world are connected, the lack of such collaboration must be considered the main cause of failure. To promote international partnerships it is essential to develop ties among individuals with international perspectives in every field. The Nippon Foundation believes that there is an urgent need for frameworks to train persons who are capable of addressing the challenges the seas pose from an international point of view as well as mechanisms to foster relationships  and broader ongoing commitments.
Aspirations of The Nippon
Foundation
We believe it is essential, in order to effectively resolve these issues, to nurture professionals who have an encompassing perspective  beyond the     individual's particular field of interest, rather than the traditional training of specialists in any given field. And at the same time, we believe it is important to support human relationships among specialists across and beyond organizational interests. Granted that it will require time to achieve this, we believe the best and shortest way of resolving the     increasingly complex problems of the seas is to create places for discussion on all relevant matters while fostering people-to-people connections and relationships. So as to build ties across national borders and address the issues of the seas in which complex factors are at play, it is essential to promote comprehensive and all-round development of persons with broad vision and perspectives beyond existing frameworks. The Nippon Foundation, therefore, has been developing programs to nurture. people who can play important roles at the global level, in partnerships with the world's      renowned       ocean research universities, institutes, governments, NGOs and international organizations to promote "Fostering human resources for the world of the sea."  This initiative is based on concrete objectives and measures aimed at building a network and the leadership needed to change the way people think and act, as well as to improve the organizational infrastructure to enable those related in one way or another to the seas to cooperate and collaborate for their preservation and sustainability. The WMU Sasakawa Fellowship is one of the most important programs with this objective.
Past performance
In addition to WMU, we implement the UN--Nippon  Foundation  Fellowship Program, a human resources training program in partnership with the United Nations. The program provides a scholarship that benefits government staff, researchers and experts from developing countries. Scholarship students spend nine months conducting research and surveys at more than forty international organizations, universities and research institutes that have agreed to cooperate. In addition, they spend three months working at DOALOS, the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea. Initiated in 2004, the program has already benefited sixty scholarship students from 43 countries. The Foundation has also established IAMU, the International Association of Maritime Universities, composed of 55 Training Education  and Mariners Organizations.  The IAMU encourages programs that will raise educational levels global networking through by implementing joint survey and research projects among member educational institutions. There are also UN-related internship programs, of which ITLOS, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, is one. (Approximately 600 fellows have graduated from these sea-related programs.)
Future Prospects
Our constant purpose is to nurture human resources and foster multiple levels of connectedness to defend and sustain our ocean heritage. We plan to establish a place where our graduates of the various Development Human Resources Programs for the Seas, including WMU Sasakawa Fellows Activities, can connect in person and interact at multiple levels beyond their individual fields of interest. Our aim is to build an international community that will realize in concrete ways measures to protect the seas as the common heritage of mankind and pass it on to the generations that follow.
IMO E.E. Mitropoulos: I am more than confident that the nightmare will pass soon and that Japan will bounce back from the catastrophe in all respects.
WMU
Bjorn Kjerfve, Ph.D.: On behalf of the World Mantime University in Malmö, our graduates and Sasakawa Fellows worldwide, past and present, I extend our heartfelt condolences to everyone at The Nippon Foundation and the Ocean Policy Research Foundation, and to all our other friends and supporters in Japan. We are confident that Japan has the unique qualities to move forward and conquer the trials and difficulties that currently face the nation. Bruce Browne: I trust that everything will begin to return to normal as soon as possible for all of the Japanese people. Bangladesh I have been watching the shock and devastation caused to your beloved country from the earthquake and tsunami. I have no words to express my sadness seeing the devastation. Hope you and your family are fine. Cambodia I wish I could do more than just write. If I could make a miracle, I would definitely do it at once to show my strong feelings toward the Japanese people. You are not alone, but have full support from around the world. China We (my husband and daughter) are so glad to hear that you and your whole family are all right and safe as well. We saw on from TV that the Chinese rescue team has arrived in Japan already. I am so worned about the nuclear power plant and the increasing number of dead and missing from the disaster. I admire and respect the rescue efforts by the government and society, which were prompt and efficient.
Colombia
Please let me know first of all if you are Ok and safe, and let me know if you need anything. As you know I am in Sweden right now, and I am sure that with the help of WMU we can find a way to help you and to support you in this tough time. Ghana We understand so well the difficulty of the situation but hope sincerely that all of you are well and coping. We continue to pray for divine intervention. India I am humbled by the force of Mother Nature, but at the same time I am even more humbled by the bravery and stoicism of the Japanese people, their resilience and fighting spint to be not bowed even in the worst of situations. My sincere sympathy to all the victims and their families in Japan. As an Indian, our memory is still fresh of the 2004 tsunami which claimed thousands of lives not only in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Maldives, but also in India. Indonesia I would like to know about our Sasakawa Fellows in Japan, and all the staff of OPRF and WMU friends in Japan. I hope they are all safe and not affected tsunami and earthquake. I am so worried about them. Malaysia I know that whatever words of comfort I may say cannot alleviate the depth of pain that Tan Sri Sasakawa and all my Japanese friends feel at this point in time. The Japanese people are resilient, strong in spirit and mind. I am confident that they will overcome this disaster as they have always done in the past. They will come out stronger and happier in due course and this sad memory will slowly fade away. Mexico I want to express my solidarity with the Japanese people in these very hard times. Be strong as you always have been. If you can, please let us know that you are well and safe. Myanmar I fully understood your feelings because we, the Myanmar people, also experienced a terrible disaster which happened in May 1, 2008. However, we quickly recovered from Nargis storm. Nigeria I am really lost for words and cannot describe how very sad I feel over this catastrophe. My prayer is that God give you the fortitude and the courage to pull  through this painful and trying period. Stay strong! Pakistan At this painful time for all Japanese, on behalf of all Sasakawa Fellows in Pakistan, I want to express to you all my compassion and sincere condolences. Panama If there is anything we can do to help, please do not hesitate to let us know. Also, please advise if all the members of your organization are Ok. Philippines I saw on CNN what happened in Sendai. We are all saddened and I hope that everything will be back to normal soon. The Japanese are very helpful people and it grieves us to watch this calamity. I pray that Japanese engineers can handle the nuclear facility and prevent a greater disaster. Natural disasters are such that we are more or less rendered powerless in their path. There is not much I can offer to you, I know, except my prayers that God will keep you safe. It has been a sad weekend for the whole of Japan. God Bless you all and have faith that my prayers are with you. Sri Lanka My husband and I express our deepest sympathy over your current situation. Do not give up. You have more than enough strength to fight against nature. Viet Nam With Japan's spirit, I strongly believe you will recover from this disaster. Remember, your friends are always beside you. I admire all of you, your great efforts, brave hearts, patriotism and patience, etc. in such a situation. At this time, the whole world, including all Sasakawa Fellows are behind you. We have received many sympathy messages from WMU and Sasakawa Fellows (over 200 messages from 36 countries), and would like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation for your friendship and warmth. Although many families in the Tohoku region lost their loved ones and there are thousands of people still missing, the impact in Tokyo was small and we would like to inform you that all the staff and personnel of The Nippon Foundation, OPRF and other related organizations are doing well. Please do not worry about us. We would also like to extend our heartfelt appreciation to those who made contributions to The Nippon Foundation CANPAN site, "The Nippon Foundation/CANPAN Northeastern Japan Earthquake Tsunami Relief Fund": http://members.canpan.info/kikin/products/detail.php?product_id=1080 to date. We thank you for your continuous support. Participation as a Volunteer in Support for Japan Tsunami Victims Campaign NYEIN EI PHYU (Myanmar, 2011) We would like to express our heartfelt sympathy to the Japanese tsunami victims. I am honored to be one of the participants of the campaign for Japanese tsunami victims as a Sasakawa Fellow. I would like to thank WMU academic staff members for supporting us and all our Sasakawa Fellows (2011) who went all out for our campaign. Even before we received the individual email copies of the Nippon-Canpan initiative, Sasakawa Fellows (2011) here at Malmö had already met and discussed several times how we could be of help. We were organized as a subcommittee (Moe and I from Myanmar, Giri and Gopal from India, and Alim from Bangladesh) for flyer design. I was very excited because it was my first experience, and from that time on, we had a closer relationship among our Sasakawa Fellows. Our campaign started on April 23rd (Saturday). We went to the Gustav Area to distribute our pamphlets. At first, the people from Malmö wouldn't take our pamphlets because they hadn't seen our flyers, and also we are foreigners here and not familiar with how things are done. But after a while, some of them because interested in our flyer, approached us and asked about it. So, we tried to explain what was going on in Japan, that we are Sasakawa Fellows studying at WMU and were trying to help Japanese tsunami victims. That day, we could distribute nearly 500 pamphlets to the public. We were very proud of our efforts to support our beloved Sasakawa Foundation as well as to help Japan. In the future, I personally believe that our Sasakawa Fellows will help social welfare and solve global challenges with our mother foundation. Last but not least, we offer our prayers and are with you all in hoping for your quick recovery from this very tragic incident. Campaign for the Tsunami Victims during the France Field Study Jose Romualdo Denzon (Philippines, 2011) This is Henri Poisson, Directeur General of the Ecole Nationale Superieure Maritime of France. He is the overall head of all maritime schools in France and he welcomed us in his office in Paris. With me are Isikeli Waqa (Fiji, 2011) and Virvic Erese (Philippines, 2011). We explained him the campaign for the Tsunami Victims and handed over the pamphlet. A Contact Family for Students at WMU in Malmö Sweden Primrose and Hans Duvander, Malmö, Sweden have been a contact family for several We ' years and have found the experience to be very rewarding in many ways. We have always believed that exposure to cultures other than our own is instrumental in fostering international understanding, and being a contact family for students at the World Maritime University (WMU) is a practical and happy way of contributing to this on the home front. With skype and facebook the students are able to keep in touch with their families and friends at home much more than they could a few years ago, but it is still important for them to have a family to relate to here in Malmö, a place where they can feel at home apart from the university and student hostel. We meet the students as often as is convenient for them. They are obliged to study hard and they have study visits to other there is time, on weekends and after examinations, they appreciate having a home to visit, where they can eat and speak English with an ordinary family. They like to do ordinary things with us like shopping and cooking, but they also like being taken on trips to see this part of Sweden. We have shown students the county wildlife park, the old town of Ystad on the south coast, the beautiful beaches and the picturesque countryside. There are several annual functions, which, as a contact family, we are invited to attend. Malmö town hosts a reception, and this is often the first meeting of students and their families. Later on there is an International Day where the students provide entertainment and food, and the contact families get to try typical dishes from many countries and see all the midsummer, WMU encourages the students to take part in typical Swedish midsummer celebrations, and the contact families are welcome to join in. The highlight of the year is the graduation ceremony held just before the students return to their countries. We are always there to congratulate our students on their success and to wish them well in the future. We exchange farewells and promise to keep in touch. We are in contact with many of the students we have met, and on a recent trip to Sri Lanka our son was offered wonderful hospitality by three of the students who had spent time with us. We have been much enriched and rewarded by our contacts with students of WMU and will continue to make this contribution for many years to come. Discussions at IMO on Enhancement of Safety Regarding Lifeboats Kunihiko Kitabayashi Japan Ship Technology and Research Association (JSTRA) Training for lowering and retrieving a lifeboat (kindly offered by the Japan Ship-Machinery Quality Control Association) Introduction Lifeboats for emergency escape from a ship in times of marine disaster are extremely important shipboard lifesaving equipment. While the construction and design of lifeboats are constantly reviewed and improved, the crucial importance of safely lowering and retrieving a lifeboat remains unchanged. This is one of the most important items for deliberation at the IMO today.
Incidents have resulted from lifeboat
release hooks
Conventionally, an off-load release hook that opens only when the hook is freed from weight was used to release lifeboats from the ship. Revision of the SOLAS Convention (International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea), however, has introduced an on-load release hook that enables lifeboats to be released while still bearing weight. The purpose of the revision was to enable the lifeboat to disengage from the ship as quickly as possible. Since the introduction of the on-load release hook, however, there have been some injuries and even fatal accidents during use of lifeboats whose sole purpose is to protect human life. The nature of the accidents involved loaded lifeboats dropping into the sea due to incorrect operation or defective release hooks during drills, maintenance or port State control. In addition, there were cases in which the hook opened while the lifeboat was being lowered, or when the lifeboat was being retrieved from the sea. These occurrences were considered to have been the result of incomplete resetting of the hook, thus causing it to reopen.
Revision of SOLAS to enhance
the safety of lifeboats
The issue of lifeboat safety was taken up at the 71st Maritime Safety Committee (MSC71) of the IMO in 1999, and for more than ten years the development of measures to prevent lifeboat accidents has remained a major focus of the Committee's deliberations. The relevant Sub-Committees have considered various measures, including the strengthening of requirements for maintenance and operation of lifeboat release devices as well as drills, and reviewing technical standards for them. As to the need for strengthening maintenance requirements of lifeboats, SOLAS Chapter III, Regulation 20 was revised, in addition to the development of MSC.1/Circ.1206, a package of safety improvement measures for lifeboats. The document calls among others things for a regular maintenance service to be provided by persons with certain levels of qualifications. SOLAS Chapter III Regulation 19 on emergency training and drills also underwent revision.
Revision of standards of lifeboat
release hooks
At the same time, the review of technical standards with regard to release hooks has been the subject of ongoing discussions. As a result, MSC 89 held in May this year adopted the revision of SOLAS Chapter III and LSA Code (International Life-Saving Appliance Code) for the purpose of enhancing technical requirements to prevent accidental opening of release hooks. Naturally, lifeboat release hooks which are to be produced after the entry into force of the rules shall comply with the new technical standards. Moreover, existing lifeboat release hooks also have to undergo evaluation to check whether they comply fully with the new technical standards under the revised LSA Code, in accordance with the guidelines which was approved also at MSC89. If and when they are found not to comply with the new standards, they must be modified to comply with these standards. This revision will conclude the discussions concerning the prevention of lifeboat accidents, which has been a major focus of deliberations at the IMO for over 10 years. This revision of the rules is expected to improve maritime safety by reducing lifeboat accidents.
Seminar for Safety at Sea and Marine Casualty Investigations in East Asia Toru Eguchi  (Japan, 2009) does not throw dice." Neither do investigators, when they carry out safety investigations into marine accidents. Not that I'm going to say investigators are God, but what they do is collect evidence, make a logical analysis and draw a conclusion to find out what happened and why it happened. Investigators also should report everything they investigated as it was, not only what they found but also what they couldn't. Therefore, there is no room for investigators to depend on something uncertain to accomplish their duty. However, when it comes to training, it is not necessarily wrong for investigators to play dice. A seminar was held from November 29 to December 3, 2010 in Tokyo, organized by the Japan Marine Accidents Inquiry Association, an institution conducting study and research on marine accidents, under the sponsorship of The Nippon Foundation. The participants were marine accident investigators from eight administrations in East Asia, including the Japan Transport Safety Board. Among the participants was Ms. Fedelyn A. Santos (Philippines, 2008), and I'm very happy that I always have the opportunity to see Sasakawa Fellows on occasions like this seminar. The main part of the seminar was a short course provided by Cranfield University in the United Kingdom. The university is renowned for its training courses for accident investigators from around the world, and two lecturers were invited to the seminar. The short course started with an interesting introduction, playing dice. Actually, it was associated with a group work to discuss what investigators should do as an initial response given an accident scenario, but at the same time, it worked as an icebreaker for participants to facilitate them actively getting involved in the course. Several lectures and practical workshops followed, where the two demonstrated they were not just lecturers; they played a TV reporter in the media-handling exercise and a shipmaster in the interview exercise. The short course was something we had never done before, but it is just a fraction of what is usually offered at Cranfield University. I took a 3-week course at the university in May last year, which even included an investigation drill on an actual fishing boat, simulating its own sinking: evidence had to be collected from the messy boat; interviews with "grieved family members of the late skipper" were carried out in an oppressive atmosphere; and furthermore, "the press" and "bystanders" showed up at the site and caused interruptions. As far as I know, there is no other training course offering such a practical program for investigators to get ready for actual accident investigations. can Investigators learn investigation methods as well as understand the pressure and stress they must face on the job. To find out how an accident happened is no easy task. An accident does not happen because of one single factor, but by a combination of factors, and all of them must be identified to prevent similar accidents in the future. To make matters more complicated, no two accidents are the same. Investigators are destined never to stop asking "why" in order to get an answer – even if they come to realize that "HE sometimes confuses us by throwing dice where they cannot be seen."
Lesson from Japanese Port
Edward Sylvester Mabula (Tanzania, 2003) arly this year, I was fortunate enough to be Seminar in Port Cargo Transport & Port for  African Environment Conservation Countries conducted in Japan. The Seminar which ran from January 16th to February 5th, 2011 was organized and sponsored by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) under the technical cooperation programme of the Government of Japan and was based in Yokohama City. This was my second visit to Japan after the field study I made in 2002 when pursuing my Masters Degree at the World Maritime University under Sasakawa sponsorship. The Seminar brought together participants from six African countries of Kenya, Senegal, Mozambique, Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti and Tanzania. e training involved acquiring in-depth understanding on overall issues of ports and harbors, by sharing information among officials from the participating countries and getting experience from Japanese ports. During the training, we managed to visit a few ports such as the Port of Yokohama, Minami Honmoku Pier, the Port of Nagoya, Tobishima Container Berth Co., Ltd, and Yokkaichi port. We also visited the Ministry of land, Infrastructure, Transport & Tourism in Tokyo, the Port & Airport Research Institute (PARI), Kyoto and the NYK Maritime Museum. When in Japan, I was fortunate to have been visited by one of the veteran leaders in the maritime industry, Mr Kudo of the Ocean Policy Research Foundation on January 22nd, 2011. We had a very fruitful brainstorming session, leading to formation of the East African Chapter, as he offered me a memorable supper at City. I feel extremely honored to have been visited by a man of such pedigree, and more importantly from a foundation which brought me to this level of maritime life. That was truly one of my most enjoyable evenings in Japan. Visiting Japan allows us to meet the best people in the maritime business. The lesson one gets from Japanese ports is that port development is a process that takes a long time to be realized; hence ports should continue to plan to create capacity ahead of demand. Ports need to cooperate (Public-Private Partnership) to achieve efficiency and to be able to service their economies better.
Antoni Arif  Priadi (Indonesia, 2006) February 2011, I attended  a training IN session at JMS (Japan Marine Science) in Tokyo. The topic was enhancing human resource capacity in maritime education and the training sector. e session lasted from February 25th to March 9th and was attended by 20 people from the education and training agency unit of the Ministry of Transportation, Indonesia. Some attendees came from education and training, some from the merchant marine college, higher maritime education and training, and the merchant marine polytechnic, and represented the entire country. The objective was to learn about new methodology. Activities included classroom lectures, visiting museums such as the Hikawa Maru, the NYK Maritime Museum, and the Nippon Maru. e training ended successfully, and attendees were given certificates. During the closing ceremony, one interesting speech centered on the maritime industry becoming a cluster and how to use this development to conduct business safely and securely, protecting the Earth for future generations. During this training, I visited the OPRF office, and was lucky to see Mr. Kudo and other staff members. We discussed the development and the achievements of WMU Sasakawa Fellows in Indonesia. I really want to thank to The Nippon Foundation for promoting a common understanding among Fellows from all countries. I left Tokyo the day before the huge earthquake and tsunami, and when I e-mailed Mr. Kudo, I was relieved to hear that everyone in the office was safe. I send my greatest sympathies to the earthquake and tsunami victims. Last but not least, I want to thank Mr. Kudo again, and Mr. Shinichi for your barbeque! Let's meet again in Tokyo soon.
Welcome to Ton Smaal
Susan Jackson  (Associate Registrar, WMU) T ON  his post as Registrar on March 1, 2011. "Our former Registrar, Mr. Bruce Browne, retired in January after 18 years at WMU, so it will be a great challenge for me to step into his shoes – to build up relationships with students, alumni, IMO and the vitally important donor agencies, like The Nippon Foundation and OPRF," Ton said. WMU Ton comes to from the STC-Group/Netherlands Maritime University in Rotterdam, where he was Project Manager, upgrading and expanding the STC-Group's education programmes in Offshore, Dredging, Port Management and Transport & Logistics. From 2006 to 2010, he was International Recruitment and Admissions Officer at the Netherlands Maritime University for the Master's programme in Shipping and Transport and had previously spent three years at Maersk-Logistics Benelux B.V. Ton holds a B.Sc. in Logistics and Transportation  Management  from the Professional University of Rotterdam, and a M.Sc. in Business Administration from Erasmus University, Rotterdam. "During my first weeks here, I have read a lot about WMU's mission to provide the highest possible quality maritime education to people from every region of the world.  The Sasakawa Fellowship programme plays a really important role in this capacity building, and WMU graduates really do make a difference when they return home by disseminating and applying the knowledge and skills obtained here," Ton said.
Expansion of the Sasakawa Family
I would like to share with the Friends of WMU that I joyfully welcomed my first baby, Yuka, 6 years and 2 days after graduating from WMU. Her name is associated with a cute citrus fruit, which comes out in late autumn in Japan. This season always fills me with deep emotion. From this spring I am back at the National Maritime Research Institute in Tokyo working 4 hours a day. Being both a maritime researcher and a parent after a career break, I am very excited. It is wonderful to be involved in the maritime field where I can make the best use of the knowledge and experience I gained from WMU and the Maritime Department of MLIT (the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism). Enjoying motherhood is, of course, ever so wonderful, too. By the way, there have been so many news items about our WMU Friends, and so much happening in the world even more news can relate to any of us. It might not always be good, but please remember, your mates are always there to help. I felt so blessed being a scholar sponsored by OPRF/The Nippon Foundation and later graduating from the prestigious World Maritime University. When I came back home my endless blessings continued to grow, as I was assigned a managerial position at the PMMA and then had a beautiful baby girl, the answer to our prayers. We named her Larizze Jamillah, Larizze from my name, Larry, and Jamillah from the book of names, meaning "beautiful girl". Just recently, she celebrated her first birthday with us and our family friends. Now she can stand on her own and can take a few steps, but she is still toothless, which makes her so cute. She is very sweet and lovely. Every time she smiles and laughs, her two brothers are very excited and happy. She brings joy to our lives. Like many other parents, my wife and I have a wish for her in the future. We hope that she will become a successful doctor someday. So, Larrize Jamillah, as you grow older, spread your wings and soar high. We love you. Shin, thank you very much for giving me this opportunity to publish this short article, which I dedicate to my lovely little girl. It is an honor for us, and we are very grateful. Domo arigato gozaimasu.
Information from the Secretariat
A Sasakawa Fellow assigned as a New Commandant
On April 19, 2011, Philippines President Benigno Aquino III attended the Change of Command Ceremony at its Headquaters in Manila. Vice Admiral Ramon C. Liwag (Sasakawa Fellow, 1996) is the 23rd Commandant of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG). At the same time, he is occupying vital positions in the organization, namely as Chairman of the Board of Marine Inquiry (BMI) and Chairman of the Board of Senior Officers (BOSO). He is the new Chairperson of the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP).
“Fellows’ Directory” in the website has recently been renewed
Our "Fellows' Directory" in the "Friends of WMU, Japan" website has been renewed recently. This site is originally created for WMU Sasakawa Fellows and current WMU Sasakawa Fellowship students. If this pertains to you, you will need to update your latest personal profile at the "Fellows' Directory"at: https://cgi1.sec4u.jp/wmu.sof.or.jp/members/ It is essential that every Sasakawa Fellow updates his/her latest information in order to maintain our Sasakawa Fellows' Network effectively. We appreciate your prompt cooperation. If you lose/forget your username/password, please do not hesitate to get in touch with the Secretariat at: wmujapan@sof.or.jp
ditors note
position of Mr. Masanori Yoshida last September. It is my great pleasure to join the Editorial Board of the "Friends of WMU". My work at the Japan Ship Technology Since then, I have participated in several IMO meetings and Research Association (JSTRA) involves developing on maritime safety and protection of the marine regulations and standards in the maritime technology field. I environment as a Japanese delegate. I'm sure many of you look forward to having a close connection with all Sasakawa also attend them, so please contact me if you see me at the Fellows through this newsletter during my term. conference. I started my carrier by joining the former Ministry of As you know, many new discussion items are consistently Transport (currently the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure,   being raised at IMO. At the same time, ISO also addresses Transport and Tourism) as an official, and mostly worked on   various maritime technology issues closely related to IMO maritime transport, such as ship implementation of maritime   rules and regulations. I will try to provide the readers with safety regulations, and liberalization on international   hot topics and useful information, which, I hope, assist you maritime transport service. After that, I took over the in conducting your work. Kunihiko Kitabayashi Japan Ship Technology and Research Association (JSTRA) 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 Ocean Policy Research Foundation  in cooperation with Prof. Toshio Hikima Mr. Kunihiko Kitabayashi, Mr. Tomoya Shimizu and Ms. Sue Jackson. Friends of WMU, Japan Secretariat, Ocean Policy Research Foundation Kalyo Senpaku Building, 1-15-16 Toranomon Minato-ku, Tokyo JAPAN 105-0001 Tel. 81-3-3502-1876  Fax. 81-3-3502-2033  URL: http://www.sof.or.jp/