Ohtsuchi Town was devastated by the tsunami following the Great East Japan Earthquake, with many precious lives lost and almost all of the social and economic infrastructure washed away. Being a town that has prospered due to the ocean throughout its history, we have taken as our reconstruction concept the slogan, "A beautiful town by the sea that makes you want to take a stroll, a town that cares about the details. EIn order to make that a reality, the people of Ohtsuchi are determined to work as a team in the dauntless spirit of the "Hyokkori-hyotan Island Echaracters, which had strong connections with the town.

The tsunami that accompanied the Great East Japan Earthquake left the bountiful natural environment of Miyako in a state of devastation. The work of those in the local fishing industry to develop the herring catch into a major fishing resource and the aquaculture initiatives to raise the locally popular "hanami-kaki Eoysters all came to nothing. Desperate efforts by everyone have resulted in a glimmer of hope for reconstruction, but I believe the earliest possible restoration of the local environment, including the algae beds in the inner bay, is the most indispensable factor in the revival of the Miyako Bay fishing industry.

As a result of efforts to revive coral reefs and other coastal environments as part of their sato-umi, collaboration among a variety of local stakeholders has been increasing. As a way of providing the science needed to support these activities, the role of residential-style research institutes and researchers embedded in the local communities is drawing attention. By looking at the unique activities of the WWF Coral Reef Conservation and Research Centre, an example of a resident-style research facility, I would like to consider a new kind of local environment studies approach, which is characterized by a problem-solving orientation in its support of resident-directed sato-umi revitalization efforts.