In times of disaster, we cannot overlook the importance of a marine approach to large-scale and safe evacuations of the populace. At the time of the Great East Japan Earthquake roads and railroads were disrupted, making rescue operations by land extremely difficult. Based on that experience, in a disaster prone country like Japan we believe that a system of medical provision by boat is necessary. Taking the Mercy-class hospital ships of the US Navy as a good example of hospital ships in operation by countries around the world, there is a need for Japan to acquire hospital ships to prepare for a large-scale disaster that might come any day.

There are approximately twenty marine and inland water stations attached to science departments at universities around Japan, reflecting the importance to biology of research on marine organisms. Almost all of the stations are recognized as joint centers for basic research and education in a variety of fields. Meanwhile, there is an urgent call for coordination among all fields related to marine biology in order to meet the requirements of SDG14. This article focuses on the Rinkai Hack as the future of coordination.

When Tokugawa Ieyasu moved his bakufu headquarters to Edo, as part of his renovation of the city he set about to improve the system of waterways. As the Edo period progressed the daimyos and others built luxurious pleasure boats, bringing the yakatabune culture to new heights. What made this possible were the water transport system, the boat operators, and our ancestors’ ingenuity. While yakatabune are typically used for pleasure and sightseeing, they might also be considered part of a transportation infrastructure that could make the city more resistant to disasters. To make this possible, it is important to have a perspective that includes crosscutting initiatives across different fields and the application of local resources.