The “Holistic Reenactment Project of the Voyage 30,000 Years Ago” has been carried out by the National Museum of Science and Nature, succeeding in its goal of an experimental voyage from Taiwan to the island of Yonaguni. Why was a dugout canoe selected as the vessel from 30,000 years ago? What were the results? What does an experimental voyage consist of? As part of the official documentation team, the author looks back on the voyage.

Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing is dealing a blow to Japan’s already declining fish stocks. In order to develop a sustainable fishing industry, there is an urgent need to eliminate IUU marine products from the Japanese market, and create market conditions that reward legitimate fishers that adhere to resource management rules. Market measures being taken in Europe and the U.S., such as expansion of catch documentation schemes, are also needed in Japan.

Safe disposal of plastic ocean debris is a serious issue, and there are limits to the extent it can be left to advanced waste disposal facilities. The Urban Rig, a recycled resource fuel recovery device, won the Nippon Foundation Prize for innovation in the 2019 UMIGOMI Zero Awards. I would like here to introduce the Urban Rig, which does not require waste segregation and can produce fuel from marine debris. Japan should be a world leader in undertaking concrete initiatives to address the problem of marine plastic debris.