Japanese students participate in maritime and fishery career experiences

Students in Wakayama and Kagoshima participated in maritime and fishery experience programs designed to foster interest in sea-based professions.

In Wakayama, 49 sixth-grade students from Ariko Higashi Elementary School joined a session on the ferry ‘Ai’. Organized by the All Japan Seamen's Union Osaka Branch, the event allowed students to learn about seafaring roles, practice rope work, and tour the bridge to observe radar systems. The program aimed to highlight the importance of the shipping industry, which handles 99% of Japan's imports.

In Kagoshima, junior high school students took part in a voyage on the ‘Satsuma Seiun Maru’, a training vessel from Kagoshima Suisan High School. Participants explored the bridge, observed longline fishing equipment featuring 780 hooks, and toured engine rooms and freezer compartments. The initiative sought to provide hands-on exposure to the fishing and maritime sectors to help students consider future career paths.