To mark the hundredth anniversary this year since the opening of the route between Uno and Takamatsu, debates at three different venues are being held on the overall theme of "Distribution Systems in the Seto Inland Sea and Shiwaku Culture. EWe believe this is a good opportunity to think again on the large role played in Japan's economy and culture by the distribution systems and navigation technologies developed in the Seto Inland Sea and the people responsible for them.