Japan

• ©Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology

An International Symposium under the title “New Direction of Ocean Research in the Western Pacific - Past, Present and Future of UNESCO/IOC/WESTPAC Activity for 50 years and the JSPS Project Coastal Marine Science”- will be held in the Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute (AORI), the University of Tokyo, 26-29 October 2010 to celebrate IOC achievements in the area of marine science and services, particularly, in the WESTPAC region.

The Symposium aims to open up a new vista of marine sciences of the Western Pacific region for our glorious future. An international training workshop will be organized for participants from the WESTPAC region in conjunction with the above International Symposium.

An International Symposium on the “Role of the Indian and Pacific Oceans in Climate Change and Variability” will be organized in the United Nations University, Tokyo, on 2-3 December 2010 with the objective to exchange views among researches and experts in related fields to deepen their understanding of the climate change and the variability in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. This symposium aims to broaden knowledge about observational, analytical, and numerical methods to promote the oceanographic research in the region for climate prediction and its application. This symposium will also contribute to the development of national adaptation and mitigation strategies within the framework of climate services.

During the period spring–fall 2010, a series of international training workshops will be organized for participants from the WESTPAC region.

The Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) carried out a research cruise under the IOC Anniversary flag with cooperation of Papua New Guinean and UK researchers on board the research vessel Kairei from 25 February to 26 March 2010.

From 24 November to 30 December 2010, JAMSTEC carried out another research cruise in the western equatorial Pacific region under the anniversary flag in cooperation with researchers from Korean Ocean Research and Development Institute (KORDI) and the International Pacific Research Center (IPRC) on board the research vessel Mirai. (photos)

The Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute of the University of Tokyo carried out a research cruise under the IOC Anniversary flag in the western Pacific Ocean by the research vessel Hakuho-maru from 18 May to 4 June 2010 under the cooperation of Chinese onboard research participants.

The Kanagawa Prefectural Marine Science High School kindly cooperated to deploy Argo floats in the Pacific Ocean under the IOC Anniversary flag during a fishery training cruise for its high school students onboard the Shonan-maru from April 24 to 21 June 2010.  Website - Photos

As commemorative publication to celebrate the 50th anniversary of IOC, the Japan Agency for Marine Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) published English version of its picture book. The original version of the picture book is written in Japanese, and the original book is currently being sold at book stores in Japan. To indicate that this publication is a part of Japanese commemorative activities dedicated to the IOC 50th anniversary, the IOC 50th anniversary logo was printed on the cover of the picture book.

• 23-05-2010