Sewerage is contributing to regional invigoration in various aspects through the effective utilization of sewerage resources, including creation of waterside spaces by using recycled water and sewerage facilities, the invigoration of regional activities through the maintenance and management of water-friendly spaces by local people, the upper space utilization of sewage processing plant, and regional air conditioning by using sewage heat.

## (4) Promotion of environmental education in the sewerage aspect

In FY 2009, as a “Model Program on Recycling District Sewerage Environmental Education”, targeting primary school teachers, teacher training, with the purpose of forming a learning instruction plan for teaching an understanding of the role of sewerage in science and society, was organized, and the model class incorporating sewerage by a trained teacher for their own primary school was implemented.

## Section 5 – Preservation of Marine Environment

## (1) Measures against large-scale oil pollution

In order to eliminate sub-standard ships which are the main source of large-scale oil pollution, our country is participating actively in international measures, such as the construction of the international ship database (EQUASIS). At the same time, the inspection of ships entering Japan is being carried out and Port State Control (PSC) is being reinforced for verifying whether the ship is up to standard. Moreover, the suggestion of our country regarding the establishment of a monitoring system in the IMO Headquarters in 2005 has been approved. It is a voluntary system that countries monitor whether countries are monitoring and supervising ships from their country. Furthermore, every country is working on the promotion of the early determination of the same system.

In addition, as measures against large-scale oil pollution in and around the Japan Sea and the Yellow Sea, the international cooperation system, between Japan, China, Korea and Russia, is being strengthened through the development of “NOWPAP (Northwest Pacific Action Plan) Regional Oil and HNS (Hazardous and Noxious Substances) Spill Contingency Plan”

## (2) Measures against exhaust gas emissions from ships

Although ships possess an excellent transportation advantage in terms of energy-consuming efficiency, this is also bringing problems such as nitrogen dioxide ( $ NO_{x} $ ) emission that makes up a large proportion of our country's total; and it is important to take measures for preventing air pollution. In order to let the ship travel across different countries, it is important to comply with the international agreed regulations for ensuring practicability. Based on the “Act on Prevention of Marine Pollution and Maritime Disasters” that complies with the MARPOL Convention $ ^{1} $ , our country is participating actively in the verification of the $ NO_{x} $ amount emitted by motors, the implementation of regular ship inspections, and regulation reinforcement discussion regarding gas emissions hosted by IMO.

As a leading country in the world for manufacturing ship engines, our country is reinforcing international

standards to a great extent. In order to contribute to the environmental preservation of the earth, our country is pushing forward technology development of processing equipment for ship exhaust gases for greatly reducing the $ NO_{x} $ emissions from ships, as well as research and development of “environmentally-friendly” diesel engines through the development of combustion enhancing methods in the engine. Moreover, the ship equivalent of idling stop for changing the supply of necessary electricity from in-boat electricity generation to land facility supply is being pushed forward in order to reduce $ CO_{2} $ and $ NO_{x} $ emissions while the ship is alongside ports.

## (3) Measures against the problem of harmful aquatic organisms in the ballast water

The ballast water $ ^{2} $ of ships is infected with various organisms (e.g. plankton). It is said that by discharging the water, they may move to habitation that is not their original one and they may bring harmful effects to the ecosystem. In order to take unified regulations internationally as measures, our country is actively participating in discussions in the IMO for the implementation of the Ballast Water Management Convention $ ^{3} $ adopted in 2004.