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On May 15, 2018, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held the 17th meeting of the Headquarters for Ocean Policy at the Prime Minister’s Office.
 
At the meeting, discussions were held on the draft Third Basic Plan on Ocean Policy and on draft measures to strengthen Japan’s capacity in Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA). There was also a report on key measures implemented in FY2017 based on the Basic Low-water Line Protection Plan.
 
Based on the discussions and the report given at the meeting, the Prime Minister said,
 
“Over the past five years, under the Second Basic Plan on Ocean Policy, we have executed our efforts on protection of the maritime environment and preservation of our remote islands as well as marine resource development, seeing the ocean as part of the global commons and an unexplored frontier.
 
Recently, in the midst of the increasingly severe maritime situation, the whole Government must work in unity to protect the territorial waters and maritime interests of Japan, and also maintain and develop open and stable seas. Meanwhile, the importance of the Arctic continues to grow in terms of hopes for marine resource development, and as the next frontier.
 
In response to the changing maritime situation, under the Third Basic Plan on Ocean Policy that we will approve today, we will step up our efforts for the realization of comprehensive maritime security by strengthening our MDA capacity, and for the utilization of oceans for the purpose of industries, and for our Arctic policy, positioning the challenge toward a new oceanic state as our policy direction.
 
For Japan, a country surrounded on all sides by the ocean, ocean policy is a matter of vital importance. Its success or failure is directly tied to our national interests. I would like to ask Cabinet members to share that recognition, and under this new plan, fully coordinate with each other in making further efforts for the implementation of these measures.”