On February 18, 2025, Ocean Policy Research Institute of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation participated in the 39th International Symposium on the Okhotsk Sea & Polar Oceans (hereafter referred to as the Mombetsu Symposium), hosted by Mombetsu City, and held a workshop titled "Review of Arctic Governance from an East-Asian Perspective."
The Mombetsu Symposium is an international symposium held annually in Mombetsu City, Hokkaido Prefecture. Researchers from Japan and abroad gather to present the latest research findings in diverse fields, including climate change, fisheries resources, ship engineering, and marine biology. This symposium is not only attended by researchers and experts but also by local residents, students, and other members of the community. It serves as a platform for deepening understanding of the Sea of Okhotsk, drift ice, and the environment and culture of the northern regions.

This year, our institute participated in the Mombetsu Symposium for the first time and co-hosted the workshop mentioned above with researchers from Hokkaido University and UiT the Arctic University of Norway.
 
During the workshop, several presentations were delivered by researches from our Foundation:

• Yuta Komori, Special Projects Manager, Management Planning Department, presented "Review of Japan’s Ocean Policy: Toward the 5th Basic Plan on Ocean Policy."
• Sakiko Hataya, Research Fellow, presented "Japan's Arctic Policy: Current Status and Challenges."
• Hiroyuki Enomoto, Senior Fellow, presented "From the JCAR Long-Term Plan to ICARP IV and IPY5, Japan’s Potential for Future Polar Research."
• Natsuhiko Otsuka, Senior Fellow, presented "Review of Russia’s Northern Sea Route Regulation"
• Xiang Gao, Senior Research Fellow, presented "The Role of Epistemic Community on Arctic Governance."

 
In addition, researchers from Hokkaido University and UiT the Arctic University of Norway presented analyses on the 70-year history of Arctic-related discussions in Japan’s National Diet and the impact of Russia’s Arctic policy after the invasion of Ukraine, as reflected in Russian domestic media. They also provided expert opinions and discussed the precautionary principle in the Central Arctic Ocean Fisheries Agreement.
 
Over the two-hour workshop, participants actively exchanged opinions, engaging in heated discussions at times. Many valuable insights and perspectives were shared on how to engage with various challenges in Arctic governance and the current state of Arctic governance analysis.
 
Our institute remains committed to further research and academic exchange on Arctic governance, utilizing various opportunities in the future.