From September 17 to 20, 2024, the Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA) co-hosted the 47th International Conference on Ocean Law, titled "Ocean Governance in the South Pacific and Latin America," in Lima, Peru. This event was organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Peru, the U.S. Naval War College, the WMU-Sasakawa Global Ocean Institute, the Peruvian Navy, the Peruvian Society of International Law, the University of Copenhagen, Gujarat Maritime University, The Nippon Foundation, the IMO International Maritime Law Institute, the International Maritime Organization, and the Jon Van Dyke Institute for International Law & Justice.
The conference attracted over 200 participants from various countries and organizations. The discussions primarily focused on regions of Latin America and the Pacific, addressing issues such as biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction, treaty negotiations aimed at preventing marine pollution from plastics, challenges related to illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, the decarbonization of shipping, and the integration of emerging digital technologies. These topics are centered on marine environmental protection and the establishment of new legal frameworks. Additionally, the discussions also encompassed traditional issues, including the alignment of domestic law and policy with international law, as well as maritime security in shipping.
JIIA facilitated presentations by Professor Chisako T. Masuo of Kyushu University, who serves as an adjunct fellow at the institute, and Captain Kentaro Furuya, an adjunct professor at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), a visiting professor at Keio University, and a professor at the Japan Coast Guard Academy.