Breadcrumb
Japan
Capital:
Tokyo
Land Area:
364,485km²
Inland Water Area:
13,430km²
Length of Coastline:
29,020km
In Japan, the Basic Act on Ocean Policy was established on 20 April 2007 and enacted on 20 July 2007. This act served as an overarching and cross-cutting policy framework for oceans and coastal areas. Based on the act, the Headquarters for Ocean Policy, which is comprised of a multi-ministry body headed by the Director-General, was established in the Cabinet. The Secretariat of Headquarters for Ocean Policy consists of staff from 8 related ministries. In March 2008, the Basic Plan on Ocean Policy was established in line with the Act. The Plan stipulates 12 major measures that the government should take comprehensively and systematically with regard to the sea. One of the 12 major measures is the comprehensive management of the coastal zones, with includes three major areas of focus:
- Management of coastal zones carried out in an integrated manner with land areas;
- Coordination of activities in the coastal zones; and
Establishment of a coordination system concerning coastal zone management.
All the projects related to the Basic Act on Ocean Act have been collated by the headquarters for the promotion of integrated information management among all concerned ministries. The budget for the various measures under the Basic Plan on Ocean Policy for the 2009 fiscal year amounts to 2.17 trillion Japanese Yen.
In 2013 the Basic Plan on Ocean Policy was revised. On 15 May 2018, the Third Basic Plan on Ocean Policy was adopted by the Cabinet. Key principles for ICM underlined in the Act and the Plan are to promote: ICM by considering local characteristics and assisting local governments; ICM in tandem with terrestrial management; ICM in enclosed coastal sea and; coordinating the use of coastal areas. Since 1958, Japan has also adopted a series of environmental legislation to tackle its worsening water pollution problems. The country introduced numerical targets for reducing the pollutant effluent in designated watershed and coastal areas, with those targets revised every five years since 1984. Significant reductions were achieved in Tokyo Bay, Ise Bay and Setonaikai adjacent to the megapolis of Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka. Other sustainable efforts by Japan include coastal spatial planning, adopting local plans on ocean policy and implementing local initiatives for ICM.
Focal Points:
Mr. Hiroyuki IWAKI
Vice Director-General, Policy Bureau, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT)
Mr. Atsuki Ito (Operational Focal Point)
Director for International Ocean Affairs, Ocean Policy Division
Policy Bureau, MLIT
Mr. Yasushi Mochizuki
Coordinator for International Ocean Affairs, Ocean Policy Division
Policy Bureau, MLIT
RELATED PUBLICATIONS
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Second State of the Coasts Report of Bataan Province
The implementation of the Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) program commenced in the Province of Bataan in 2000. The first State of the Coasts (SOC) Report was published in 2017, covering the period 2000-2015. The report provided a baseline for evaluating the impacts of management interventions and solutions to issues related to the socioeconomic and environmental status of Bataan.
The Second SOC Report, covered the period 2017-2022, and identified discernible trends and changes taking place in the coastal areas of the province as a result of the implemented policies and programs, projects, and activities (PPAs) to respond to governance and sustainable development aspect issues. This Report is the consolidated output of the collaborative efforts of the provincial government, city and municipal governments, national government agencies (NGAs), the private sector, and academe. -
Integrated River Basin Management Project Newsletter - Edition 3
"Collaboration Beyond Boundaries" is the third edition of the Integrated River Basin Management Project, which highlights the coming together of governments and partners from ASEAN member states for the regional workshop on the State of River Basin and the 2nd Regional Steering Committee Meeting. Cooperation among national and local partners continue to drive the implementation of the Project in four priority river basins while the remaining three are gearing for implementation in the second half of 2024.
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PEMSEA EBulletin - June 2024
Dear PEMSEA community,
Welcome to the June e-bulletin.
This month, the Arafura Timor Seas Ecosystem Action Project conducted the Senior Government Officials Meeting to finalize preparations for the Arafura and Timor Seas (ATS) Ministerial Forum which will be held in Dili, Timor Leste on 19-20 Setember 2024. The month also saw the passing of new fisheries management legislation in the South Fly District of Papua New Guinea.
The annual PEMSEA Network of Local Governments (PNLG) Executive Committee Meeting saw the induction of a new associate member, the Dongying Huanhai Institute for Marine Conservation and Development. PEMSEA's Marine Plastics Project held several Ocean Day initiatives throughout the Philippines, in cooperation with local government, NGOs, and academe. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), China, released a new assessment on China’s coastal and marine ecosystems, documenting challenges and successes for China's marine and coastal areas.
The program for the East Asian Seas Congress 2024 has been released. The congress has four subthemes: Ocean Science, Policy, and Practice; Global Challenges, Local Solutions; Innovation and Digitalization of Ocean Action; and Blue Financing and Investments. We invite all interested parties to register for the Congress, that will take place on 6-8 November in Xiamen. China.