The ocean is a dynamic place where energy comes and goes in various forms, including the activities of the diverse organisms that live there, and at the same time, it plays a major role in stabilizing the global environment. Understanding its natural state, preserving its ecosystems, and sustainably using its energy and biological resources are foundational issues for Japan, a country surrounded by oceans.

Nagasaki has developed over the years while enjoying the bounty of the sea, including abundant marine products supported by the ecosystem of the East China Sea, and it also has the potential to become a central location in Japan for marine energy development because of its abundance of natural energy such as wind and currents. In March 2016, the Nagasaki Prefectural Government, the Nagasaki Marine Industry Cluster Formation Promotion Council, and the Nagasaki General Shipbuilding and Marine Technology Center (GMPMC) jointly established the Nagasaki Marine Industry Cluster Formation Promotion Council. In March 2016, Nagasaki Prefecture, the Nagasaki Marine Industry Cluster Formation Promotion Council, Nagasaki University of Science, and Nagasaki University signed an agreement on research cooperation to strengthen collaboration between industry, academia, and government.

Against this backdrop, the Institute for Ocean Future Innovation was newly established at Nagasaki University in April 2016 as a fusion research platform that simultaneously enables the development of marine energy, conservation and restoration of the marine environment, and sustainable use of marine living resources. The three pillars of its role are (1) to form a center for industry-academia-government collaboration for the creation of marine industries, (2) to form a world-leading comprehensive marine research center, and (3) to foster researchers and engineers who will lead the marine industries. We aim to return the results of these efforts to society and contribute to the development of future marine industries in the Nagasaki region and in Japan.

The unique feature of this organization is that it has established a system in which researchers in the fields of engineering, fisheries/oceanography, and environmental science collaborate to promote research and education in order to comprehensively address various issues to create innovation in the ocean, such as innovation in marine energy utilization and management technology, development of marine biological environment monitoring technology, and next-generation fishery technology innovation, including development of the world's most advanced aquaculture system. The center has established a system in which researchers in engineering, fisheries/oceanography, and environmental science collaborate to promote research and education. The establishment of a business model to achieve the creation of a marine energy industry and the revitalization of the fishing industry on remote islands such as the Goto Islands while preserving the marine environment is one of the issues in which the Institute can maximize its strengths.

Internationally, we will promote interdisciplinary education and research at the ocean site, utilizing the demonstration field and the East China Sea, in collaboration with overseas universities and research institutes in the UK and other countries that are leading the way in marine energy development. In the future, we also intend to expand into Asia as an international center for marine energy development and use systems research. To this end, we will also focus on developing and enhancing our educational programs to foster global human resources who possess cutting-edge marine engineering technology and broad knowledge of the marine environment and biological resources, and who can take a comprehensive role in the development, utilization, and conservation of the oceans.

As a new interdisciplinary research center of Nagasaki University leading the "Future Ocean Science", this organization will contribute to the revitalization of society through the promotion of the marine industry, and we look forward to your support and cooperation in this endeavor.