In the case of ferries, the existence of vehicle decks means that when an accident takes places it often turns into a major one. The IMO has made revisions concerning ferries in the SOLAS Convention but many issues remain, such as the problem concerning ship stability from watertight doors being open depending on each ship's operating conditions. As Japan participates in leading-edge discussions on safety improvement at the IMO and elsewhere, it should continue efforts to actively share the outcomes with other Asian countries.