Since the launch of this Newsletter in 2000, Japan's ocean policy has taken significant steps forward. The Basic Act on Ocean Policy has been enacted, and in March of 2008 Japan's first Basic Plan on Ocean Policy was decided by the Cabinet. But while our country has begun its evolution into "a new ocean state", our ocean policy is still being held back by vertical divisions among administrative agencies. If we are to implement an ocean policy in a comprehensive and systematic fashion based on the widest perspective, vigorous debate needs to continue.
Selected Papers No.12

Climate variation, a problem that directly impacts our socio-economics, is gradually becoming predictable to a high degree of precision. This is due to the rapid growth of global ocean observation, enhanced scientific knowledge on climate variation phenomena, and, finally, new techniques for seasonal prediction, developed by assimilating observed data into high-precision models for predicting climate variation. Measures aimed at protecting the global environment ought to be pursued at the same time as promoting and applying this highly specific prediction of climate variation.
Selected Papers No.12

When we consider the future of an island, we tend to see it as a straightforward choice between development and protection. But these need not necessarily be seen as mutually exclusive. Each island is governed by its own environmental and cultural conditions; the circumstances faced by each one are diverse and their histories are different. Before all else, it is important that we investigate an island's eco-history in detail. A significant factor in considering the future of oceans will be the ability to cross-reference information, organize it into useable forms, and promote the integration of data.
Selected Papers No.12