Kyushu University Leads Trilateral Workshop for Coastal & Ocean Conservation Initiative
On July 10, 2024, a kick-off workshop for the “Trilateral Coastal & Ocean Conservation Initiative – between the US, ROK, and Japan” was held at the Fukuoka American Center in Fukuoka City. The initiative was conceived at the Japan-U.S.-ROK summit held at Camp David in the U.S. in 2023.
Kyushu University organized the workshop in collaboration with the U.S. Consulate in Fukuoka, the Consulate-General of the Republic of Korea in Fukuoka, and Tsushima City, Nagasaki Prefecture, which receives the most marine debris out of any shoreline in Japan. This workshop marked the beginning of Fukuoka-based, student-led activities for this initiative. The primary objective of this initiative is to cultivate next-generation leaders with expertise in marine environments and to propose solutions to global marine issues through student collaboration, using Tsushima City as a model. A comprehensive partnership agreement was concluded between Kyushu University and Tsushima City in May 2024, and various collaborations are expected in the future.
Around 40 students, including about 20 from Kyushu University, participated in the workshop. Observers included Chuka Asike, Principal Officer to the U.S. Consulate in Fukuoka, and Naoki Hitakatsu, Mayor of Tsushima City.
The workshop was facilitated by Johan Lauwereyns (Senior Vice President in charge of international affairs) and Natalie Konomi (Vice President in charge of international affairs) of Kyushu University. It started with an opening speech by Strader Payton, Public Affairs Officer to the U.S. Consulate in Fukuoka, followed by flash talks (presentations) by four speakers.
The flash talk speakers included:
- Adam Ross, Director, Regional Environment Office, U.S. Embassy Bangkok, Thailand
- Marty Pomphrey, General Manager (GM), Patagonia International Inc., Japan Branch
- Sean Kim, Team head, Patagonia Korea
- Yoshiki Ueno, Representative of Tsushima CAPPA (Coast and Aquatic Preservation Program Association)
During the flash talks, topics such as efforts to address marine litter and microplastics were discussed, and the participating students listened intently. Following the talks, the students were divided into five groups for a workshop to explore and propose solutions to marine environmental issues.
After the group work, each team presented creative and innovative ideas for solving marine environmental issues in a 3-minute pitch. The flash talk speakers, serving as judges, commended all the presentations and provided feedback to the students. The members of the team judged to have the best pitch each received Patagonia bags as a prize.
The day after the workshop, the “U.S.-Japan-ROK Marine Environment Symposium 2024” was held at ACROS Fukuoka in Fukuoka City. During the symposium, experts and stakeholders from the three countries gathered to discuss and announce a joint message for the protection of the marine environment and the promotion of sustainable initiatives. From our university, Associate Professor Satoko Seino from the Faculty of Engineering gave a presentation on the current situation and response to marine drift material in Tsushima based on previous field surveys.
Our university has committed itself to becoming a “university driving social change with comprehensive knowledge” in our long-term vision “VISION 2030”. To implement this vision, we will work towards solving global marine environmental issues through the Trilateral Coastal & Ocean Conservation Initiative. This initiative involves various stakeholders including students and researchers from Kyushu University, and leverages our unique positioning in Fukuoka, Kyushu.