Japan's new start for maritime nation

Japan is to reinvent itself as a maritime nation.

Japan had been one of the most successful ocean-going nations before WWII, but post-war Japan restricted itself with self-imposed restraints on its maritime ventures. "Next year will be a new start for Japan as a maritime nation," parliamentarian Seiji Maehara told UPI. Mr Maehara was one of the promoters of ocean policies at a recent seminar commemorating the first anniversary of the enactment of Japan's Basic Act on Ocean Policy, which was aimed at promoting and utilizing ocean resources. The value of territorial waters has increased as a vital source of seafood, and, as the Japanese diet is heavily dependent on seafood, there has been concerns about the ocean environment, along with the fishermen's dismay over rising fuel costs. Virtually all the country's fishing vessels will refuse to sail tomorrow, July 15, as fishermen seek compensation for high oil prices.
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