We, the Sasakawa Fellows -2007 visited Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Japan on 11 September, 2006. It was the second day of our trip in Japan. First of all we were introduced the MLIT activities through power point presentation. Next, we had the opportunity to meet the director general of Maritime Bureau. After that, the fellows were divided into 3 sub groups. I was in sub group - B which was assigned to discuss about the activities of Seafarers Policy division. it was my pleasure to learn about Japan government's policy which is described below.

　

　

 Maritime Administration of Seafarers' Affairs in Japan refers to the specific authority on behalf of the government who has the responsibility to deal seafarers related to shipping industries. This authority has the certain aim of securing of efficient and qualified seafarers to serve and support the maritime industries in order to develop the merchant fleet of the country.

　

　

 This division is responsible to design and making the policy for seafarers' social welfare, employment and promotions during the service period according to their efficiency and quality. Also the division supervises the minimum justified wages of seafarers, training and education, international co-operation in relation to seafarers. The State Policies are guided by international Conventions through National Legislations and Industry Policy.

　

 For example, the current policy contains the ODA Seafarers' training scheme at different marine technical colleges and sea training institutes. This division carries out the policy through the three offices namely: Employment Security Office, Mariner's Education Office and International Planning Office.

　

 Among, first one is working for supporting seafarers' employment through employment information, advertisement system using computer network and some other motivation and recruitment fair. The second one is working to upgrade the education and training in order to comply with the international instruments like STCW. The third one is International planning office, working to set up the ship officer's role and familiar them with the latest equipments like ARPA, Engine simulators, GPS systems. Also they are working for designing National examination system for marine officers, grades.

　

 The other purposes of this division are:

 Under the Maritime bureau of Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport the administration that is working with the sea farers policy making are the responsible authority to formulate the structure of Training and Certification of seafarers.

　

 An example of such maritime administration is Mariner's Education office under Seafarers Policy Division in Japan. This office executes the program through some training and educational institutes. We will discuss some different types of maritime administrations operating in the Maritime training system.

　

　

 Under the ODA scheme, Seamen's Employment Centre of Japan is playing the vital role, as the coordination centre. The participants are selected from developing countries after the successful completion of pre-sea training of their respective countries and sent to different training scheme under Japan government policy.

　

 This institute is providing 2-month pre-sea training for cadets under the ODA seafarers' training scheme selected under SECOJ program.

　

 After finishing the MTC training, this institute is providing 3-month basic onboard training. One of the training ships is Seiun Maru where the field areas are knowledge, experience and skill of deck and engine. Other training ships are Nippon Maru and Ginga Maru. After completion of that successful training, the cadet officers are sent to on-board vessels operated by the Japanese shipping companies for further 9-month individual on-board training.

　

 Parallel to above institutions, other Marine training institutions and Universities are working also to provide a variety of level of seafarers training like Maritime officers and catering staff for coastal shipping industry, Graduation level cadet officers to obtain the forth grade license.

　

　

 The division is responsible to ensure the improvement of Seafarers' working conditions, health facilities onboard and overall Safety measures. Although the Administration is still examining the Maritime Labour convention 2006 for implementation, they started to follow the conditions of this convention including ILO convention such as minimum age, medical certification, qualification of seafarers, employment agreement, hours of work and rest, manning level for the ship, proper accommodation, onboard recreation facilities, food and catering and onboard complaint procedure.

　

 Other purpose are:

　

 Our visit to The Nippon Foundation was in the afternoon of September 11. This activity was the most important for us because during that visit we had the opportunity to met Mr. Sasakawa face to face.

　

 What we did was went down to The Nippon Foundation Headquarters where we were leaded to a big conference room. Once there, important persons who work for the foundation came in to the conference room to introduce themselves to us and to talk to us about the Sasakawa programme, its main features, its latest developments and to give us general information about the activities that The Nippon Foundation has been carrying out world wide.

　

 A few minutes later, Mr. Sasakawa came dawn to the conference room followed by his assistants to attend our visit. In this part I want to express my personal opinion in reference to my impression about that moment. It was very interesting for me to met personally someone such as Mr. Sasakawa. Specially because usually when you hear about powerful people like him, no matter the country, no matter the culture you expect someone busy, serious, not that open to interact with others and most of the times a diplomatically polite person. However, Mr. Sasakawa was far different to that description. He is one of the most simple and easygoing person who I have ever met. He did interact with each of us during the talks and conversations and continuously expressed his feelings without any barrier to everybody. In conclusion he is a gentleman and gains respect from others by his simplicity and by his words. What we did, was mainly introduce by ourselves to him and express to him and to The Nippon Foundation our feeling of greatness for the support received.

　

 After that meeting we came down to a reception at the dinning room of The Nippon Foundation where we met a lot of people. Some of them were employees of The Nippon Foundation, others were important persons who work in the Japan Shipping Industry and the rest were some WMU graduates who joined the reception. It was a really great time and the conversations and talks that we had with all them were very interesting.

　

 During the reception we sang the WMU song in front of the guesses who were really pleasant to heard it and finally request to us to sing it again, something that we did off course without hesitation. This song was followed by the happy birthday for one of the Sasakawa fellows who received a special cake given by Mr. Sasakawa.

　

 After this, the reception finished and we went to Hotel.

　

 We visited the head office of the Ministry of Land and Transport (MLIT), this morning and it was a great event.

　

 After the welcome ceremony at O900hrs we divided into groups so that we can have a brief understanding on how the ministry works. The lady who was welcome the group as we come into the MLIT office was a former student of WMU as well, class of 2004.

　

 Our group was briefed with shipping administration and policy of the great government of Japan.

　

 I was so happy that this visit was different from other visits I normally made to Japan because I finally meet Mr. Sasakawa. I had two other visits to Japan previously funded under the Ocean Policy Research Foundation and it was seminar type without meet the Mr. Sasakawa. Now it was different because I personally meet him and talk to him. Other type of training I previously visit to Japan with was under the great umbrella of JICA.

　

 Even though the country of Japan is not on the top five countries of the world fleet tonnage but it effort on shipping will not and can not go without being noticed.

　

 The State of Japan concern shipping is a bridging gap between the Asia and Pacific. It connects to Europe, Africa, Oceania, North America and the South America.

　

 The trend of container transport to all ports from Japan increase every year result from the demand need and the great supply provide by the Stae of Japan.

　

 In the 2004 figure of the top 20 big container ports I can see that Japan was also mention with great movement happens in the port of Tokyo and is included as one of the great 20 port terminals of the world.

　

 The State of Japan is an archipelagic State with more than 127 million populations.

　

 The State of Japan has eight great and massive shipping companies that made servise between Japan and the reset of the world.