"Marine debris" was recognized as a global issue at the G2015 Elmau Summit Summit held in 7, and the "G7 Action Plan for Addressing the Marine Debris Problem" was formulated. Interest is growing not only domestically but also internationally.

　Since fiscal 2010, the Ministry of the Environment has been conducting surveys on the amount and type of "drifting waste" on the coast, "drifting waste" floating on the surface of the sea, and "marine debris" accumulating on the seabed. Regarding "Marine debris" and "Marine debris", in addition to the survey in the coastal area, there are concerns about the distribution amount and the impact on the marine ecosystem in the offshore sea area around the Japanese archipelago. We are also investigating "micro plastic = fine plastic waste".

　From 2017, the survey area will be expanded to the southern part of Japan, and the cooperation and cooperation system with universities will be with the cooperation of Hokkaido University, Nagasaki University, and Kagoshima University in addition to the existing Kyushu University and Tokyokaiyo University. Conduct a survey in collaboration with a total of 5 universities. In the 2017 survey, we conducted visual observations and sample collections on training vessels (5 vessels in total) from Tokyokaiyo University, Hokkaido University, Nagasaki University, and Kagoshima University, and analyzed the samples collected in the laboratory of Kyushu University. implement.

　Regarding this survey, researchers said, "This large-scale survey of marine debris, which was organized like this, is rare in the world. Through a simultaneous survey of five training vessels, microplastics and the ocean around Japan I hope that the actual situation of garbage will be clarified. "