In October of 2014, the Kobe-Osaka International Port Corporation was born from the merger of the Kobe Port Terminal Corporation and the Osaka Port Corporation. Further, in December of 2014, the national government became the leading stockholder in the first Selected Port Operating Company, based on funds dispersed under the Revised Port Law. Aiming at port development that will serve as an important part of the nation's industrial infrastructure, the national government and the port operators will collaborate in initiatives for strengthening freight collection and storage and international competitiveness, making the Kobe-Osaka Port the gate port for western Japan,

As a classic example of an ice area ecosystem, the Antarctic Ocean is a fertile ocean that exhibits a rich food chain, based on Antarctic krill, of penguins, seals, and whales. However, in recent years there have been reports of changes in the marine environment, including warming and ice shelf disintegration. In addition to global warming, the existence of an ozone hole induces a southern drift in the Westerlies, leading to the strong possibility of change in the environment and eventually the ice area ecosystem. There is a need for more extensive investigation of Antarctic Ocean environment ecosystems.

In recent years, as there has been much concern about the global exhaustion of marine natural resources and a strengthening of international fishing quotas, conditions for the fishing industry in Japan have changed greatly and the country itself, as a major consumer of seafood, is now being called to account. Even against such a background, I am confident that Kinki University's fish farming technology can make large contributions to resource conservation.
Selected Papers No.20