On November 27, 2012, the Councilors' Meeting of the Headquarters for Ocean Policy presented its recommendations for the new Basic Plan on Ocean Policy to the Director-General of Headquarters, Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda. Stressing the importance of creating and promoting marine industries, protecting the marine environment, and securing safety at sea, the Meeting proposed increasing public access to ocean data and its unified management, capacity development, and comprehensive ocean management as means to achieve the necessary infrastructure. Also, in the interest of effective execution of the Plan, they recommended the functional strengthening of the Headquarters for Ocean Policy, with the Councilors' Meeting at its core, so as to realize a decision-making process thoroughly based on the PDCA cycle.

The non-partisan legislator-sponsored Revision to the Remote Islands Development Act includes regulations stipulating responsibility at the national level for promotion of remote islands, with large increases in various "soft" support measures in addition to the "hard" support measures already in place. The various measures based on this Act, on other laws relevant to remote island promotion, and on the Basic Act on Ocean Policy, will help stabilize permanent settlement on islands, contribute to the sustainability of local economic activities there, and play a role in securing important areas of national territory. These represent a quest for optimal conservation and use of the ocean and are thus indispensable measures on the road to becoming a true ocean and island State.
Selected Papers No.17

Human beings cannot survive unprotected for even a moment in the environment of space. Survival is possible only in a man-made earth-like environment that is equipped with life sustaining measures. The total natural environment of this planet now inhabited by seven billion people is greatly affected by this human presence, and it seems we are approaching the limits of human survivability. Through understanding the tsunagari between the earth's environment and human beings, we should be able to identity the path that humankind needs to follow into the future.
Selected Papers No.17