The tsunami caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake was recorded by ocean bottom pressure gauges in the sea off Kamaishi, Iwate Prefecture, before it reached the Sanriku coasts of East Japan. Meanwhile, the mechanism of mega-scale earthquakes that only strike once in hundreds of years has been clarified from observation data on water pressure and seafloor movement. Installing an observation network of ocean bottom pressure gauges and seismometers using seafloor cables near the Japanese archipelago would enable us not only to detect impending tsunamis before they reach the coasts, but also to elucidate the mechanism and make long-term predictions of mega-scale earthquakes.
Selected Papers No.15(p.22)

The accident at the Fukushima nuclear power plant No. 1 caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami has made the lax crisis management, as reflected in the expression, "safety myth", a target of criticism. An appropriate level of crisis management is necessary for human endeavors in all fields, and maritime and marine problems are no exception. Although conditions in ocean areas around Japan and in shipping lanes show risks increasing in number and variety, we must ask ourselves if we are not ignoring them for more comfortable assumptions.

In addition to its presence in the South China and East China Seas, the signs that China is increasing its engagement in Oceania, especially among Western Pacific island States, can be easily seen from political, economic, and military perspectives. While the situation in Oceania, including the Western Pacific island States, is not at the "clear and present danger" stage as in the South China and East China Seas, a Japanese response is called for based on the current build-up of Chinese naval power.