At the 32nd session of the UNESCO-IOC, reports were given on the various operations for which it is responsible and plans of action were discussed. A notable topic was the election of Professor Yutaka Michida as the new Chairperson, the first time a Japanese national has held this position in the 60 years since the IOC was founded. It is hoped that Japan, with its geographical characteristics and historical and cultural background as an Asia-Pacific nation, will increasingly lead discussions on marine science and sustainable use of the ocean.

While there is great diversity among the ocean’s environments, in the deep earth microorganisms exist in extreme environments which are considered forbidding for life. As it is assumed that early earth ecosystems were isolated from metabolisms based on light energy, it is thought that there are similarities with the intralithic ecosystem of serpentinite water systems found on earth. The serpentinite biosphere deep under the ocean floor is important for understanding the evolution of life, and I am excited about new scientific findings as I take on the challenge of elucidating the origin of life.

This article focuses on international standardization in the field of maritime radio communications and introduces the history of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a pioneer in standardization, as well as the importance of standardization. It also reports on the VHF Data Exchange System (VDES) being introduced into marine radio, the promotion of marine DX, and the efforts to date on the introduction of autonomous ships and the challenges they will face in the future.