Talk event on river basin urban development leading to “ocean regeneration” held in Shonan and Zushi ~ Speakers: Hirokazu Yanase (Professor, Tokyo University of Science), Jun Koji (Professor, Fukui Prefectural University), female divers, and others
The Blue Co., Ltd. Press Release: October 21, 2025 To media
representatives: The Blue Co., Ltd. (Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture) will be holding a talk event titled “Riverside Urban Development Linked to Ocean Regeneration” at Zushi Culture Plaza (Zushi City, Kanagawa Prefecture) on Saturday, November 29, 2025. Talk event on river basin urban development leading to “ocean restoration” held in Shonan and Zushi ~ Speakers: Hirokazu Yanase (Professor, Tokyo University of Science), Jun Koji (Professor, Fukui Prefectural University), female divers, and others A vision for “ocean
restoration,” “disaster mitigation,” and “urban development” from the perspectives of “watersheds,” “groundwater,” and “submarine springs”
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/171689/1/171689-1-d7ac18f067016bcd63dac750d9ef90e9-1912×1173.jpg
Representative: Mariko Miki) will hold a “Watershed Urban Development Talk Session Linking to Ocean Regeneration” at Zushi Culture Plaza Nagisa Hall in Zushi City, Kanagawa Prefecture on Saturday, November 29, 2025, which will also be streamed online at a later date. [Background] The disappearance of seaweed and marine life and other “marine desertification (barren coastal areas)” are said to be caused by rising sea temperatures due to climate change, but some experts believe that “a disruption in the water cycle that supplies nutrients and oxygen from land to the ocean” due to human land use is also a contributing factor. In response to the devastating damage caused by the 2019 Great East Japan Typhoon, the Ministry of Land,
Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) has been promoting “watershed flood control” since 2000. In recent years, “rain gardens” and other “green infrastructure” (the concept of utilizing the functions of the natural environment to solve various social issues) have become a hot topic at both the public and private levels. However, concerns have been raised about subsidy-seeking activities and greenwashing (when companies suggest that their business models, activities, or products have a net positive or net neutral impact on the environment, despite the possibility that they may actually harm the environment), further increasing the need for an “understanding of the unique topography and natural environment of each region.” [Purpose] Based on this background, this talk event will: – An introduction to “watershed thinking” by researchers and practitioners on “water” – Learn about the “water cycle from land to the ocean,” including research on the new field of “submarine springs” and an academic explanation of the concepts of “forest, river, and sea connections” and “satoumi.” Through these efforts, we aim to promote the practice and implementation of ideas that can be applied to daily life and urban development, such as “regenerating the marine environment from the entire watershed,” “disaster mitigation,” and “restoring primary industries.” Event Overview ・Event Name: “Talk Session on Watershed Urban Development Linked to ‘Ocean Regeneration'” ・Date and Time: Saturday, November 29, 2025, 12:30-16:15 ・Venue: Zushi Culture Plaza Nagisa Hall (2F, 4-2-10 Zushi, Zushi City, Kanagawa Prefecture) (An archived version will be available at a later date) ・Participation Fee [In-person Participation] Adults: ¥5,000 Students (high school students, university and graduate students under 24): ¥2,000 Persons with a disability certificate (one accompanying person free): ¥2,000 Middle school students and younger: Free (Archived video available for viewing at a later date) [Online distribution at a later date] Adult: ¥4,000 Students (high school students, university and graduate students under 24): ¥1,500 Persons with a disability certificate: ¥1,500 *For both in-person and online participation, please watch the video “Ask a Female Researcher about the Oceans of the Miura Peninsula (featuring Satoko Kiyono, who will be speaking in Part 2)” (approx. 55 minutes) produced by The Blue Co., Ltd. (with a link to watch) ・Capacity: [In-person participation] 500 people [Online distribution at a later date] No limit on participation ・Target audience: The general public, business people, government officials, etc. with a strong interest in ocean and environmental issues [Program] 11:45 Doors open 12:30 Part 1: Presentation “You and I are River Basin People” by Hirokazu Yanase (Professor, Tokyo University of Science) “Circulating Water” by Jun Koji (Professor, Fukui Prefectural University) (Break: 14:00-14:15) 14:15 Part 2: Discussion: “River Basin Urban Development Linked to Ocean Regeneration” Speakers: The following five people 15:45 Q & A 16:00 Raffle (signed books by speakers, merchandise from popular local shops) 16:15 Closing [Speakers] ■Part 1: Presentation
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/171689/1/171689-1-50b4d55ab37c543843abd479e4a7c6e6-1092×1072.jpg Hirokazu Yanase:Professor, Institute for Liberal Arts, Tokyo University of Science Graduated from the Faculty of Economics, Keio University. Worked at Nikkei BP as a reporter, book editor, and advertising planner before assuming his current position. He has authored, co-authored, and edited numerous books, including “National Route 16,” “Kingfisher City Tokyo,” “How to Protect Miraculous Nature,” and “Anpanman and the Japanese.” Since his student days, he has been involved in conservation efforts for the entire watershed, from its source to its mouth in Koajiro on the Miura Peninsula. He promotes the “watershed thinking” advocated by Professor Emeritus Kishi Yuji of Keio University and representative of the NPO Koajiro Outdoor Activities Coordination Council, and also leads efforts to restore streams on the campus of the university where he teaches.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/171689/1/171689-1-60971ff7c7c0cb3cbd847966a935064b-1068×1061.jpg Atsushi Koji : Fukui Prefectural University Professor, Faculty of Marine Bioresources Graduated from the Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University (JSPS Research Fellowship). His interest in the ocean and fish began when he went fishing with his father as a child. Specializing in aquatic resource ecology, he worked at research institutes at the University of Maryland Research Institute, Kyoto University, Hiroshima University, and the University of Tokyo before assuming his current position. He conducts research on the water cycle of groundwater and submarine springs, as well as ecosystem services in tidal flats, estuaries, and coastal areas. He has published numerous articles, including “The Forest-River-Sea Connection and Biological Production in Estuaries and Coastal Areas” and “The Land-Sea Connection via Groundwater and Springs and Human Society.” ■Part 2: Discussion
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/171689/1/171689-1-ab9d0fb0d455fefac61f64626fe18345-1092×1072.jpg Mr. Hirokazu Yanase
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/171689/1/171689-1-363ed439c034670acd4fcf72c7a1384d-1068×1061.jpg Atsushi Koji
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/171689/1/171689-1-b6ff00d1e2770a8021cfd01a4bf3cb1a-999×995.jpg Naomi Suzuki / Takohime: Female diver, designer, underwater performer Born in Tokyo. Started surfing in high school, and moved to Australia after graduating from design school. After competing in the All Japan Surfing Championships, she started her own business as a designer after retiring. After swimming with wild dolphins on Mikurajima Island, she decided she wanted to work underwater and moved to Minami Boso to become a female diver. Despite having no ties to the local area, she used her natural drive to obtain fishing rights and began diving as a female diver in 2008. She feels a sense of crisis about the changes underwater. While continuing her design work, she also appears as an underwater performer in commercials and TV dramas. She also appeared in underwater scenes in the 88th NHK morning drama, “Amachan.”
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/171689/1/171689-1-f3cd70f4fa82eb500a1620c704291256-1058×1053.jpg Makio Tenpaku: Member of Yokosuka City Council (independent), representative director of Miura Peninsula Biodiversity Conservation, a corporation eligible for farmland ownership Born in Yokosuka City. Graduated from Nihon University Graduate School. Ph.D. (Biological Resource Science). At university, he studied landscape ecology of reptiles and amphibians. As a junior high school student, he met and studied under the late Toshitaka Shibata, a former curator at Yokosuka City Museum and environmental conservation activist. As a member of a citizens’ group, he works hard to reclaim fallow fields in the valleys of Yokosuka City, Hayama Town, and Miura City, conserve waterfront areas, and preserve old thatched roof houses. He also organizes nature observation events and satoyama conservation activities, while making recommendations for city government as an environmentally conscious city council member.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/171689/1/171689-1-c5206bda0b0e09af96d5449e61af95b9-1000×1001.jpg Satoko Kiyono* : Associate Professor, Department of Environmental and Social Studies, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyushu University, “Umi Tsunagi” Project General Producer Born in Zushi City. Graduated from the Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tokyo. Completed a Master’s degree in Fisheries Science at the Graduate School of Agriculture, University of Tokyo. Ph.D. in Engineering. He was an assistant and assistant professor at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at the University of Tokyo before assuming his current position. His specialty is oceanography. Economic engineering in coastal, coastal, and watershed environmental conservation. Review of national coastal law revisions, environmental technology guide, coastal conservation along the eastern coast of Chiba Prefecture Basic plan formulation, advisor to Kanagawa Prefecture and other local governments, Nikkei Blue-O Participated in the Shan Forum Expert Committee as a coastal environment expert, etc. We also focus on environmental education for the younger generation. *Satoko Kiyono is scheduled to host an ocean event two weeks prior, and the date of this event is a backup. If the event two weeks prior cannot be held as scheduled, she will be absent from this event.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/171689/1/171689-1-7422156b12fcd674fac4e3e0f221aa14-1023×998.jpg MC/Moderator Mariko Miki: CEO of The Blue Co., Ltd., Head of Chotto, a Water Links Project While working in public relations and planning at a general company, she also organized a summer nature experience program where participants swam with wild dolphins for 22 years. She now wants to put that experience to work in society. She started her own business as a planner, creating content, planning events and products, and publishing with themes of “nature, culture, and community.” In addition to studying permaculture design in Australia, for nearly 10 years he has been organizing local “Earth Regeneration®” construction projects and working on bamboo forest maintenance. Since 2023, he has been leading a volunteer initiative that aims to “improve the environment from watersheds to the ocean through land-based maintenance work.” [Organizer Overview] ・Name: The Blue Co., Ltd. ・Business Description: Content production in Japanese and English on the themes of “nature, culture, and community.” Publishing, event planning, environmentally friendly product planning, etc.
・Established: July 2015 ・Representative Director: Mariko Miki ・Location: 1-6-3-5 Akiya, Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture ・Telephone number: 046-845-6342 ・Website: https://www.the-blue.info ・Cooperating organization: Water Circle Connecting Activities: chotto (Yokosuka City Registered Volunteer Group)
https://note.com/mizunowa_chotto [Contact for general inquiries] The Blue Co., Ltd. (Person in charge: Miki) ・email: info@theblue-japan.com [Media Inquiries and Interview Requests] The Blue Co., Ltd. (Contact: Miki) ・Tel：046-845-6342 ・Person in charge cell phone: 090-2318-4259 (closed to the public) ・email: info@theblue-japan.com Event Details Page Peatix application page Organizer The Blue Co., Ltd. HP [Press release download]
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