The Sumatran earthquake and the Indian Ocean tsunami in December 2004, caused great damage to Asian maritime society. More than two years have now passed and recovery efforts in the areas affected by the disaster are proceeding smoothly. However, regarding the creation of a framework for the sustainable use of resources and the rebuilding of coastal fisheries society, the process has been one of repeated trial and error. Aid for recovery by Japan based from the perspective of maintaining security for Asian maritime society is now called for.

Since the adoption of the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments by the International Maritime Organization in 2004, rapid progress has been made in the ballast water treatment technologies necessary to deal with the problem of the migration and spread of aquatic species. Although there was some doubt at the time of the Convention's adoption regarding the development of treatment technologies, thanks to the intelligence and efforts of those involved they will soon be ready for use. This paper will introduce the current state of the ballast water treatment technologies, which play a leading role in the adoption of the convention and in providing a solution to the ballast water problem.

The ocean paradigms that the world has used as guides up to now have their origin in the "Freedom of the Seas" principle put forth by Grotius. The oceans being the common inheritance of mankind, their free use for fishing and shipping has been taken for granted. However, along with the rapid growth in competition over world markets, we have come face to face with the reality that the global environment is a finite one. When thinking about the future of the oceans, we should therefore avoid the short-term perspective and build new paradigms in which those decisions that lead to sustainable prosperity for the human race are highly valued.