As a part of its ocean research and development activities, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology will carry out a research and development program from 2008 focusing on sensors and other infrastructure tools allowing high precision detection of seafloor mineral deposits such as seafloor massive sulfide and cobalt rich crusts as well as deposits of marine energy resources such as methane hydrate deposits. This article gives an overview of the program.

Coastal States can claim up to 200 nautical miles of the seafloor as their continental shelf. In cases where they would claim areas of the seafloor beyond 200 nautical miles as their continental shelf, they are required to provide evidence based on the definition of the continental shelf. This is the "burden of proof" for extension of the continental shelf. While the right to put forth such a claim is of course permitted by the Convention, in Japan's case it should rather be thought of as a process by which to confirm the extent of its land area.

There are three yacht races from the west coast of North America to Hawaii. The Bengal Team, known for sailing the Pacific in all directions, is a challenger in these races. Dashing out from the U.S. west coast and making the most of the high pressure systems over the Pacific, we sometime reach speeds of 20 knots on our way to the southern paradise of Hawaii. Wouldn't you like to try this ocean lifestyle?