Shaping the Blue Economy
A ¥50 Trillion Market by 2030

The ocean serves as a habitat for fish, shellfish and a wide variety of other wildlife, a place of economic activity driven by shipping, and as a stage for innovation in areas such as renewable energy generation. As a maritime nation surrounded by the ocean, Japan promotes economic development through the conservation and sustainable utilization of the seas. It is now working to set an example for other countries around the world and to steer international cooperation.

It is our hope that UNOC3 will help further strengthen international collaboration on the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans. At the same time, we very much welcome the NIKKEI Blue Ocean Forum Expert Committee’s recommendations for strategies to conserve the oceans and promote the blue economy.

Japan is a maritime nation endowed with the sixth largest exclusive economic zone (EEZ). To resolve the issues facing the ocean, while making the most of its potential, it is vital that all the various stakeholders come together to tackle the challenges.

The Japanese government is working to take steps necessary to conclude the Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity in the Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement), which establishes new rules for marine biodiversity. It is also working to address illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and the abuse and forced labor of crew members on foreign fishing vessels. Furthermore, it is actively addressing the issues of marine plastic pollution and blue carbon, stepping up efforts to strike the right balance between ocean conservation and sustainable ocean use.

Achieving a sustainable blue economy is an urgent task. Keeping the world’s oceans healthy is connected with global environmental issues. It is therefore necessary to take immediate action to enhance the effectiveness of the BBNJ Agreement, which allows protected marine areas to be established in international waters.

To promote the blue economy, it is essential to transform fisheries using data, decarbonize vessels by adopting sustainable fuels and other means, deal more effectively with plastic waste and invest actively in the oceans. We want to work with our partners to protect the ocean and achieve a sustainable blue economy throughout the Asia-Pacific region, to help promote greater prosperity in the region.

Through the NIKKEI Blue Ocean Forum, the Sasakawa Peace Foundation and the Nikkei Group have engaged in a variety of discussions with experts over the past two years, with a view to realizing sustainable blue economies. These discussions have concerned sustainable fisheries, sustainable resource management, climate action, circular economy, innovative finance and community empowerment.

Innovation, partnerships and human resource development are indispensable for advancing a sustainable blue economy. We want to present the outcome of our discussions as recommendations with the hope of accelerating meaningful action for ocean conservation and responsible ocean-related initiatives.

A Japanese NPO, ZERI JAPAN, constructed the Blue Ocean Dome pavilion at the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai. The pavilion is attracting around 6,000 visitors every day. We are working with the Blue Ocean Initiative (business coalition) to make the ocean cleaner and healthier by demonstrating initiatives in a wide variety of fields, such as fisheries, tourism, transportation, energy and finance.

There are three key elements for promoting the blue economy: sustainable resource use, value-added process creation and job creation through the blue economy. Our vision for the future is a “blue ocean,” i.e., a sustainable ocean to pass on to coming generations. We are passionately committed to realizing this vision.