On July 8, 2023, the four parties of Kure City, Hiroshima University (HU), the Japan Coast Guard Academy, and the Sasakawa Peace Foundation concluded an agreement to establish new international maritime and oceanic bases and revitalize the local community, with the aim of promoting the Town & Gown Initiative implemented by Kure City and HU.

　This agreement aims to build in Kure city, which has a rich history, culture, and manufacturing tradition related to the sea, international bases for education, research, and social collaboration relating to maritime and oceanic affairs in Asia, and thereby to revitalize the local community. To this end, the four parties will cooperate with international organizations in developing global human resources, addressing global issues such as the maintenance and restoration of the marine environment and resources and conducting advanced research and development on maritime DX and GX.

The signing ceremony, held at Kure City Hall, was attended by Kure City Mayor Yoshiaki Niihara, HU President Mitsuo Ochi, Japan Coast Guard Academy Superintendent Mitsuru Eguchi, and Sasakawa Peace Foundation President Atsushi Sunami.

HU President Ochi commented in his speech that he would like to realize innovation in maritime and oceanic affairs and thereby contribute to regional development by inviting researchers and students from all over the world to Kure City through interdisciplinary degree programs and advanced research and development in the maritime and oceanic fields.

In addition, Superintendent Eguchi of the Japan Coast Guard Academy expressed his determination to further advance collaboration between domestic and international educational institutions in order to develop human resources who will conduct various research and study activities on a wide range of maritime security operations and ocean policy issues.

President Sunami of Sasakawa Peace Foundation stated in his speech that the foundation, with its Ocean Policy Research Institute playing a central role, will work to support the establishment of a new ocean governance using unfettered thinking and methods unique to private foundations. Finally, Mayor Niihara of Kure City showed high expectations for Kure to be effective in providing bases for education, research, and social collaboration in maritime and oceanic affairs. He also expressed his strong will to promote this initiative, saying that he would make utmost efforts to build the new bases.

The agreement signing ceremony was also attended by President Max Mejia of the World Maritime University, who signed an inter-university international exchange agreement with our university on the same day. Following the conclusion of this agreement, Kure City, HU, the Japan Coast Guard Academy, and the Sasakawa Peace Foundation will start cooperating to develop human resources and build a network with related local companies as the first step to create international bases for education, research, and social collaboration in the maritime and oceanic fields while promoting the Town & Gown Initiative between HU and Kure City.