Tobishima is the only inhabited remote island of Yamagata Prefecture located in the Sea of Japan. It was a strategically important island in the era of the Kitamae ships (ships that carried goods along the Japan Sea coast in the Edo and Meiji periods). The present population is 312, while it was 1,788 at its peak. The ratio of senior citizens has reached 57%, which is approximately triple the national average. Both the elementary school and junior high school have been closed since the end of fiscal year 2002. Under such extreme aging and depopulation, how is the present situation of this island, which features fishing, private culture and tourism services?

It has been determined that sea training intended to educate seafarers working for private commercial ships should be made at educational institutions including universities of mercantile marine or schools for seafarers training for classroom lectures, and at the National Institute for Sea Training for skill practice, according to the national policy. The National Institute for Sea Training was transformed into an independent administrative institution in 2001, and it has been grappling with better efficiency of job management and improvement of job quality, in order to educate seafarers who will shoulder the future of Japan as a maritime power.

Significant attention has been paid to ocean thermal energy conversion and its future direction as a trump card in renewable energy. Its breakthrough can be realized mainly by Japanese technologies. Technology integration in ever more technical fields is becoming necessary, as various activities toward its commercialization are in progress in many parts of the world.