The “High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy,” comprised of world leaders from 14 countries, including Japan, and 15 Special Envoys of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, was established in 2018 to stimulate the economy through the conservation and sustainable use of the ocean. The “Ocean Panel’s Policy Recommendations: Promoting Sustainable Ocean Economies and International Partnership” international webinar was hosted to widely publicize the summit report released as a product of the Panel’s work. This article is the video message delivered by Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide for the international webinar.
Selected Papers No.26(p.28)

As January 2021 marks the start of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (UNDOS), research institutions and researchers worldwide are cooperating in an effort to advance ocean science. UNDOS presents the following societal outcomes in its vision for the “ocean we want”: a clean ocean, a healthy and resilient ocean, a productive ocean, a predictable ocean, a safe ocean, an accessible ocean, and an inspiring and engaging ocean. A “transformative” approach to ocean science will be needed to realize this vision.

The February 2020 outbreaks of COVID-19 on the Diamond Princess cruise ship revealed the conflict between the national legal interests of coastal states in preventing the spread of infections and international legal interests in maintaining the stability of maritime traffic. As there are many issues that cannot be resolved alone by the port state where a ship has called, and as international cooperation between a vessel’s flag state and its operators’ country is crucial, new international rules need to be established.
Selected Papers No.26(p.26)

The Japanese government has been pushing for a “fishery reformation” since 2018, endeavoring to grow Japan’s fisheries while also facing food-supply crises and territorial disputes. The Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency conducted large-scale organizational restructuring in the summer of 2020 under these policies. I hope to continue producing results, together with fishermen, in tackling the two issues of restoring fisheries resources and growing the fishing industry.