Japan and Australia have never been more strategically aligned. We describe Japan as an indispensable partner. Japan and Australia share a deep commitment to democracy, an open economy, and free societies, and we are committed to growing this shared cooperation in the years ahead. The Reciprocal Access Agreement and the Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation, signed by the leaders of Australia and Japan in 2022, will provide a roadmap to take our partnership to a very different place – a better place.

Japan led the deliberations at IMO, and the shipping sector, ahead of other modes of transport, became the first in the world to adopt international regulations on reducing global warming. Various initiatives - which aim to achieve net zero emissions from international shipping by 2050 - are gaining momentum worldwide. This article introduces the path and current situation until now, as well as what lies ahead further down the road.

Ocean literacy, as presented by members of an association of American marine educators, is defined as "an understanding of the ocean’s influence on you and your influence on the ocean.” This article reports on the impacts of various hands-on activities according to the Ocean Literacy Questionnaire, which was developed and designed from a perspective that considers cultural factors unique to Japan.