As a pass originally refers to the saddle shaped area through which humans traversed a mountainous area, until recently no areas were so designated on the sea floor. However, with today's use of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV), not only have ocean passes come into being, but a wide variety of underwater places have been given names. The use of detailed place names makes planning complicated routes that underwater robots will travel again and again much easier. This article introduces some of the place names we have assigned distinctive seabed areas.
Selected Papers No.10(p.21)

In order to make use of the deep seabed mineral resources to be found in Japan's vast EEZ and on its continental shelf and to leave resources and industry for the future, we have proposed a Master Plan for Deep Seabed Mineral Resource Exploitation as a guideline for future technological development and exploration. With the passing of the Basic Ocean Law, we look forward to national leadership to help cool off the overheated metals market and develop world-leading marine industries.

In the post-war period the Japanese fishing industry continually expanded to provide the country with a reliable food source. In the latter half of the 1970s the fish catch exceeded ten million tons, valued at more than 2.5 trillion yen, to become the world's leading fishing state. However, the scale of Japan's fishing industry is now only half of what it was at its peak, and thought by many to be at a critical juncture. We must now ask if there remain ways to revive the industry.