For my activities in promoting the development of ocean policy within the Japan Society of Ocean Policy and for contributing to the creation of the Revised Basic Plan for Ocean Policy, I recently received the prestigious National Maritime Award, in the category of Special Contribution to Marine-Based Development of Japan. I would like here to reflect on these activities, and express my expectations for future ocean policy.

It has been seven years since the Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology began studies on canals with junior high schools in Tokyo's Minato Ward. While the progress made so far cannot be said to be enough, little by little, the environment of the experimental areas has seen improvement.One year since starting the experiments, we were finally able to locate Japanese eels in the area. In the future, we hope to reclaim the environment of Tokyo Bay, as a habitat of Japanese eels, and also dream of seeing the revival of "Edomae Unagi" eels of the past.

During the "Waterfront Boom" of the 1980s, facilities such as empty warehouses were reused for other purposes. However, as the canals at the time were "opened solely for distribution purposes," it took almost ten years until the government allowed use of the waterfront, which subsequently helped lead to the birth of a "Restaurant Floating atop the Canal." While introducing the negotiations from that time, I also look to explore new attractions of the waterfront, and hope for progress in the reviving of local communities.