World Cosplay Summit Executive Committee
The nationwide cleanup campaign “Spring Marine Litter Zero Week 2024” sponsored by the Nippon Foundation and the Ministry of the Environment has started! Boost event “Cosplay de Sea Garbage Zero Strategy!!” will be held for the first time in Fukuoka
The World Cosplay Culture Promotion Association (Chairman: Chizuko Amano) is organizing a nationwide cleanup campaign aimed at combating marine litter, sponsored by the Nippon Foundation (Chairman: Yohei Sasagawa) and the Ministry of the Environment (Minister of the Environment: Shintaro Ito).
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As a boost event for “Spring Marine Litter Zero Week 2024,” “Cosplay de Marine Litter Zero Operation!! 2024 Spring at Fukuoka” was held in Fukuoka City on Saturday, June 1, 2024. This event, which is held to raise awareness and excitement about this campaign, has a strong social media presence, and many cosplayers regularly pick up trash to keep the locations they use for their photo shoots clean.
Approximately 400 people participated, including “Year”, partner companies such as McDonald’s Japan, coast guard officers,
“Sazae-san”, who has deep ties to Momochi Beach in Fukuoka City, the director of the Hasegawa Machiko Art Museum, and boat racers. After the opening ceremony, we conducted a garbage pickup in the Nakasu area and collected 19 90L garbage bags.
This event was held as part of the Marine and Japan Project – CHANGE FOR THE BLUE, a marine litter countermeasure project promoted by the Nippon Foundation.
[Image 1: https://prtimes.jp/i/61165/56/resize/d61165-56-3bac9010702bbf8b176e-0.jpg&s3=61165-56-85fef6f124c4c361809db3c57fafd30f-3900×2600.jpg] Zero Marine Garbage Week is spreading excitement across the country and around the world!
At the opening ceremony, a team of organizations, companies, and cosplayers who participated as part of the event’s cooperation announced their commitment to reducing marine litter under the name “UMIGOMI-ZERO Declaration.” We also connected live broadcasts to the seven locations serving as Marine Litter Zero Week venues, and created excitement for the start of Spring Marine Litter Zero Week 2024 from each location. In Japan, there will be 5 venues (Nagano, Oita, Akita, Fukushima, Hiroshima), and as the 7th event and the first time it will be broadcast overseas, we will be broadcasting our thoughts on Zero Marine Litter Week from South Korea (Busan) and the Philippines (Cebu). I did. The reason behind the decision to hold the event overseas this time is that in recent years, there have been many complaints along the coast of Fukuoka Prefecture, which is the main venue, that “even if we pick up garbage, it ends up flowing from overseas,” especially on the Sea of Japan side. Therefore, in order to convey the message that “it is important for all countries to cooperate with each other in order to reduce waste,” cosplayers are also appearing in South Korea (Busan) and the Philippines (Cebu), two countries with which waste from their own countries tends to wash ashore. We have decided to hold a cleaning event in which people will participate.
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Greetings from the organizers and sponsors
Mr. Mitsuyuki Unno, Managing Director of the Nippon Foundation, was the organizer of “Zero Marine Litter Week”, Mr. Hayato Kunisada, Parliamentary Vice-Minister of the Environment, and Mr. Eiichi Nakamura, Deputy Mayor of Fukuoka City, were on stage from the Ministry of the Environment. Mr. Unno cosplayed as Jotaro Kujo from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure and performed the JoJo stand-up with the stage speakers, livening up the occasion. Representatives from each organization reminded the participants of the importance of cleaning up land-based garbage to reduce marine debris, and chanted, “Let’s pick up trash and protect the ocean!” Cleaning activities have started.
[Image 4: https://prtimes.jp/i/61165/56/resize/d61165-56-c30f5ce1c4f916def1b8-0.jpg&s3=61165-56-b0ccee98cf22d43d238a6d9936679fc5-3900×2600.jpg]
[Image 5: https://prtimes.jp/i/61165/56/resize/d61165-56-d5a4229151c7d79329e8-0.jpg&s3=61165-56-c8602b813df4557c4290aa64dc416f68-3900×2600.jpg] The Nippon Foundation: Managing Director Mitsuyuki Unno
80% of marine debris flows into the sea from land. As you will see when you actually pick up trash from now on, many everyday items are thrown away as trash. Why is this happening? In some cases, such garbage may be coming from within ourselves. I hear that once you pick up trash, you will never leave trash or litter again. I hope that the number of such people will increase rapidly, and that we will eventually live in a world where the act of “picking up trash” itself will disappear. Let’s pick up all the trash in Fukuoka to leave a rich and beautiful ocean for the next generation.
Ministry of the Environment: Mr. Hayato Kunisada, Parliamentary Vice-Minister of the Environment
[Image 6: https://prtimes.jp/i/61165/56/resize/d61165-56-ed4d7ae06f1c9286bd35-0.jpg&s3=61165-56-9a3d1ca1076f799b1c09ffe65cc85b14-3900×3337.jpg] If things continue at this rate, it is said that by 2050 there will be more plastic waste than fish in the ocean. One of the statements made by the leaders of the G7 last year was to “reduce additional plastic pollution to zero by 2040.” If a treaty is signed by the end of this year, and each country can manage its waste according to the same rules, we can avoid the crisis in which the amount of plastic waste exceeds the amount of fish.
I hope you will pick up trash today while being aware of the current state of the marine debris problem.
Fukuoka City: Deputy Mayor Eiichi Nakamura
[Image 7: https://prtimes.jp/i/61165/56/resize/d61165-56-21e8a48c2884c4a6afdb-0.jpg&s3=61165-56-0bcd9e7e97a485c8506ab3cc07d6879c-3900×3186.jpg] We are happy and proud that Fukuoka City has been selected as the boost venue this time. Marine debris is not only said to be a major problem in the world, but it is also said that the earth is boiling, and environmental problems are urgent. Fukuoka City is also involved in a variety of initiatives, and as part of its efforts to combat the marine litter problem, it conducts a litter pick-up event called “Love Earth Cleanup” every June. Today, June 1st, is the first day, and I am very grateful to have been given the opportunity to start the “Love Earth Cleanup” period as a city of Fukuoka, together with everyone from all over the world and everyone at the venue. On June 9th (Sunday), we will be cleaning up Fukuoka City all at once, so if you are a resident of Fukuoka City, please do so.
[Image 8: https://prtimes.jp/i/61165/56/resize/d61165-56-f7cd25487c2e82243f51-0.jpg&s3=61165-56-9f3b1e8dceaa8002f2e4d81b29ddff63-3079×1954.jpg] Please feel free to join us. I would like to conclude my remarks by commemorating this opportunity to deliver a wave of zero marine litter from Fukuoka City to Japan and the world.
*We also played a video message of support from Mayor Soichiro Takashima, who was unable to take the stage due to his official commitments.
Approximately 400 groups and cosplayers pick up trash in the streets of Nakasu After the opening ceremony, a total of approximately 400 participants carried out a cleanup activity in Nakasu, where there was a lot of foot traffic and litter was noticeable, and collected 19 90L garbage bags worth of garbage. They picked up household garbage such as cigarette butts, plastic bottles, cans, and food packaging, and ended up collecting about 40 umbrellas.
[Image 9: https://prtimes.jp/i/61165/56/resize/d61165-56-80b9dd035c299ee08e40-0.jpg&s3=61165-56-c2ce82ad93852b5a0c70c8655f711ccd-3900×2600.jpg]
[Image 10: https://prtimes.jp/i/61165/56/resize/d61165-56-1a4dc8401062355470a2-0.jpg&s3=61165-56-9c830b7116f3f0e439d98bfdf42be998-3648×2432.jpg] Cosplayers enjoying cosplay around the now beautiful Nakasu area! The cosplayers who picked up trash in the streets of Nakasu enjoyed photo sessions mainly at Canal City Hakata, Haruyoshi Bridge, and THEATER 010. Participants said, “I’m so happy that they held an event that combines trash picking and cosplay in my hometown of Fukuoka,” “There were so many cigarette butts,” and “I had fun picking up trash while cosplaying.” I was very happy to be able to pick up the trash,” “I was happy to be able to connect with cosplayers from other countries through picking up trash,” and “I would be happy if the combination of cosplay and trash picking spreads around the world.”
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-Event Overview-
title
“Spring Marine Litter Zero Week 2024” boost event
Cosplay de sea garbage zero strategy!!2024 Spring at Fukuoka Date: June 1, 2024 (Sat) 11:00-17:00
venue
Canal City Hakata, Nakasu area
Campaign sponsor
Nippon Foundation, Ministry of the Environment
Campaign sponsorship
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
Event host
World Cosplay Culture Promotion Association
Event sponsorship
Fukuoka Prefecture, Fukuoka City
Event cooperation
Japan Coast Guard, Kuragerengo, National Soft Drink Association, McDonald’s Japan Co., Ltd., Donald McDonald House, Hasegawa Machiko Art Museum, Boat Race Fukuoka
Special site
https://umigomi-cosplay.com/daisakusen/
■About Marine Litter Zero Week
“Marine Litter Zero Week” is a nationwide cleanup campaign aimed at reducing marine litter that has been carried out since 2019. We send original garbage bags free of charge to organizations that carry out garbage-picking activities, supporting and promoting garbage-picking activities nationwide. *A total of 30 or more people per group is required (it is possible to have more than 30 people in total for the number of cleanings).
In fiscal 2024, May 30th (Thursday) to June 6th will include three anniversaries: “Zero Waste Day” on May 30th, “Environment Day” on June 5th, and “World Oceans Day” on June 8th. The period from September 9th (Sunday) is designated as “Spring Marine Litter Zero Week,” and the period from September 20th (Friday) “World Cleanup Day” to September 29th (Sunday) as “Autumn Marine Litter Zero Week.” Masu.
Special site: https://uminohi.jp/umigomi/zeroweek/
■About working with cosplayers
Among cosplayers who pretend to be characters appearing in manga, anime, games, etc., there are many who take the initiative to pick up trash on a daily basis to keep the locations they use for their photo shoots clean. The World Cosplay Culture Promotion Association is working with cosplayers who are highly environmentally conscious and have great social networking skills to carry out activities to reduce marine litter.
*Supplement: Regarding “cosplay” and “disguise”
The act of wearing character costumes and applying make-up during events such as Halloween is classified as “disguise” and is distinguished from “cosplay.” Cosplay events rarely cause noise or nuisance (as is the case with Halloween in Shibuya every year), or large amounts of trash are left scattered after the event.
-Organization overview-
Organization name: World Cosplay Culture Promotion Association Activities: As cosplay culture spreads, we promote the “correct way to interact with cosplay,” including respect for works and creators, and a correct understanding of intellectual property rights. Established because we felt it was necessary. Currently, we are collaborating with cosplay related events and commercial facilities on a global scale. URL: https://umigomi-cosplay.com/
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Nippon Foundation “Ocean and Japan Project”
The sea supports Japanese people’s lives in various ways, sometimes giving them peace of mind, excitement, and inspiration. This is an all-Japan project that aims to encourage people across the country, including children, to view the ongoing environmental deterioration of the ocean as their own, and to expand the circle of action to preserve the ocean for future generations. is.
https://uminohi.jp/
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CHANGE FOR THE BLUE
As part of the Nippon Foundation’s “Ocean and Japan Project,” the 2018 This is a project that has been underway since November. We will work with stakeholders from industry, government, academia, and the public to create a marine litter reduction model and disseminate it domestically and internationally.
https://uminohi.jp/umigomi/
More details about this release:
https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000056.000061165.html