With the cooperation of the Nippon Foundation and the Sasakawa Africa Association, the Sasakawa Peace Foundation held four high-level expert meetings since the summer of 2024, bringing together executives from Japanese government agencies and private companies. Following consultations with the African Diplomatic Corps in Tokyo, we have compiled a set of recommendations that were submitted to the Japanese Foreign Minister. We advanced discussions at the eminent persons’ meeting in July and the summit meeting in August. Based on the discussions, we intend to promote effective collaboration and advance Japan-Africa cooperation in the field of the sustainable blue economy.

Southern African countries—Namibia, Angola, Mozambique, and South Africa—are implementing measures to transition towards alternative fuels and renewable energy. The journey towards decarbonisation brings multiple challenges for African countries that have largely depended on fossil fuels—including constraints in infrastructure, finance, and community consultation and buy-in—and collaborative efforts as well as effective partnerships between Africa and other regions are key for effective climate change mitigation.

In the Western Indian Ocean (WIO), ocean warming and marine heat waves are causing declining fish catches across the region, and ocean and coastal ecosystems are projected to collapse within 15 years, leading to a substantial reduction in marine food available for human consumption. To avert this climate crisis, international exposure and leadership are essential. Going forward, through the hosting of two international Summits, scientific evidence will be delivered to WIO governments and international institutions, and an international Mitigation Plan of Action for urgent implementation will be formulated.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has been implementing fisheries cooperation projects in Senegal for approximately 50 years. JICA has achieved remarkable results, particularly in joint management between fishermen and the government through technical cooperation, and these efforts have been expanded to neighboring countries. Based on the JICA Cluster Project Strategy "Promoting the Fisheries Blue Economy" formulated in 2024, a new cooperative project will be launched in June 2025 to improve distribution and sales, contributing to the enhancement of fishermen's livelihoods and promoting the fisheries blue economy in West Africa, primarily in Senegal.

Increasing pressure on fisheries resources due to global climate change and modernization is also affecting Madagascar, a country far distant from Japan. In rural areas of Madagascar, the information environment is different from Japan, so trust in science is not as high. However, there are high expectations for science. To convey this nuance, this article discusses environmental conservation efforts by the people of Madagascar.