Theories about the use and management of the seas diverge in many directions. Debate continues on topics as varied as marine resources, natural resources, energy, disaster prevention, leisure and usable areas, to name only a few. This presentation argues that even seawater is a precious resource, as it is irreplaceable for life on earth. Leaving aside the questions of social needs and the problem of management frameworks, this paper considers this issue from a scientific and technological standpoint.

As I tackled the challenge of the "Around Alone" boat race - a race to circumnavigate the globe solo - children in classrooms around the world followed the adventures of my fellow yachtsmen and me on the Internet, gaining the thrilling opportunity to watch this long, harsh struggle across the oceans live. Of course, one can never understand the rigors of the sea without experiencing it for oneself, but one of the most delightful achievements of this race was the sense the children had of how wonderful life is.

To develop marine science, research in each field of marine science must be bolstered and efforts must be made to assess the entire discipline through interdisciplinary research and/or comprehensive graduate-school education. Today the best-organized graduate-level studies in the marine sciences are found in the United States; Japan's contributions in research and education are worryingly weak. Japan must significantly boost its support for the graduate-level studies and specialization that form the bedrock of marine science and radically rework its system for these studies.