For most ocean problems, cooperation with developing states is indispensable. In order to build good partnerships with developing states and bring about sustainable social implementation of joint research, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) are jointly carrying out the SATREPS program and producing notable results. It has also launched Friends of SATREPS, a social networking platform, to aid in the search for new topics and facilitate coordination with stakeholders in social implementation efforts. The network now numbers more than 2000 members, both in Japan and abroad.

More than a few schools around the country can recount memorable episodes involving the ocean. While those schools provide learning opportunities about the ocean as part of their "specifically tailored educational activities, Ethere is a need to expand ocean education to all schools nationwide. To accomplish this, measures need to be taken that will allow systematic instruction on ocean issues to take place within the framework of the current curriculum.
Selected Papers No.16(p.6)

As the sea ice in the Arctic Ocean continues to melt, commercial shipping along the Arctic sea routes and exploitation of oil and natural gas resources are becoming a reality. This is accompanied however by large geopolitical and strategic changes, as countries begin to carry out a variety of activities, which might even lead to armed conflict. Russia has made explicit its concern over China's active advance into the area. From this perspective, Russia's strengthening of its bases in the Northern territories might also be interpreted as a desire to secure influence over the sea-lanes from Asia to the Arctic sea routes.