Chapter 4
Japanese Implementation of the United
Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
Jun Tsuruta
4.1 Introduction
The bill for the Basic Act on Ocean Policy was passed into law by a majority vote in
a plenary session of the House of Councilors on April 20, 2007. The Basic Act on
Ocean Policy was promulgated as Act No. 33 on April 27, 2007 and came into force
on July 20, 2007.
1 It established a Headquarters for Ocean Policy in the Cabinet so
that the Government of Japan can advance ocean policy comprehensively across each
ministry and agency. It also paved the way for the unified promotion of ocean development, use, and conservation. The Headquarters for Ocean Policy was subsequently
established based on the Basic Act on Ocean Policy, and the Cabinet adopted the
Basic Plan on Ocean Policy on March 18, 2008. The Cabinet then adopted the second
Basic Plan on Ocean Policy on April 26, 2013, due to changes in ocean conditions
and other developments over the five years since the first Basic Plan was prepared.
The third Basic Plan on Ocean Policy was adopted on May 15, 2018.
2
1 English translation of the Basic Act on Ocean Policy is available at https://www8.cao.go.jp/ocean/
policies/law/pdf/law_je.pdf (last accessed on May 20, 2020). See Okuwaki, Naoya, 2008, The
Basic Act on Ocean Policy and Japan’s Agenda for Legislative Improvement, Japanese Yearbook
of International Law, Vol. 51 (2008), pp. 164–216.
2 English translation of the third Basic Plan on Ocean Policy is available at https://www8.cao.go.
jp/ocean/english/plan/pdf/plan03_e.pdf (last accessed on May 20, 2020). English summary of the
third Basic Plan on Ocean Policy is available at https://www8.cao.go.jp/ocean/english/plan/pdf/pla
n03_gaiyou_e.pdf (last accessed on May 20, 2020).
3 The resolution is available at http://www.shugiin.go.jp/internet/itdb_kaigirokua.nsf/html/kaigir
okua/009916620070403010.htm (only in Japanese) (last accessed on May 20, 2020).
J. Tsuruta (B)
Meijigakuin University, Tokyo, Japan
e-mail: jtsuruta@law.meijigakuin.ac.jp
© Kobe University 2021
D. Tamada and K. Zou (eds.), Implementation of the United Nations Convention
on the Law of the Sea, Kobe University Monograph Series in Social Science Research,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-6954-2_4
65
Japanese Implementation of the United
Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
Jun Tsuruta
4.1 Introduction
The bill for the Basic Act on Ocean Policy was passed into law by a majority vote in
a plenary session of the House of Councilors on April 20, 2007. The Basic Act on
Ocean Policy was promulgated as Act No. 33 on April 27, 2007 and came into force
on July 20, 2007.
1 It established a Headquarters for Ocean Policy in the Cabinet so
that the Government of Japan can advance ocean policy comprehensively across each
ministry and agency. It also paved the way for the unified promotion of ocean development, use, and conservation. The Headquarters for Ocean Policy was subsequently
established based on the Basic Act on Ocean Policy, and the Cabinet adopted the
Basic Plan on Ocean Policy on March 18, 2008. The Cabinet then adopted the second
Basic Plan on Ocean Policy on April 26, 2013, due to changes in ocean conditions
and other developments over the five years since the first Basic Plan was prepared.
The third Basic Plan on Ocean Policy was adopted on May 15, 2018.
2
1 English translation of the Basic Act on Ocean Policy is available at https://www8.cao.go.jp/ocean/
policies/law/pdf/law_je.pdf (last accessed on May 20, 2020). See Okuwaki, Naoya, 2008, The
Basic Act on Ocean Policy and Japan’s Agenda for Legislative Improvement, Japanese Yearbook
of International Law, Vol. 51 (2008), pp. 164–216.
2 English translation of the third Basic Plan on Ocean Policy is available at https://www8.cao.go.
jp/ocean/english/plan/pdf/plan03_e.pdf (last accessed on May 20, 2020). English summary of the
third Basic Plan on Ocean Policy is available at https://www8.cao.go.jp/ocean/english/plan/pdf/pla
n03_gaiyou_e.pdf (last accessed on May 20, 2020).
3 The resolution is available at http://www.shugiin.go.jp/internet/itdb_kaigirokua.nsf/html/kaigir
okua/009916620070403010.htm (only in Japanese) (last accessed on May 20, 2020).
J. Tsuruta (B)
Meijigakuin University, Tokyo, Japan
e-mail: jtsuruta@law.meijigakuin.ac.jp
© Kobe University 2021
D. Tamada and K. Zou (eds.), Implementation of the United Nations Convention
on the Law of the Sea, Kobe University Monograph Series in Social Science Research,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-6954-2_4
65