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With the advancement of economic globalization, commercial activities across the world have in recent years become increasingly dependent on sea lanes, which have vulnerabilities for the global supply chain. These include the expansive maritime claims by a certain state in the South China Sea and East China Sea, Russia's blockade of the Black Sea, and acts of piracy by Houthi rebels off the coast of Yemen, all of which threaten the freedom of navigation for commercial vessels. Japan, surrounded by sea, is nearly 100% dependent on international maritime transport for trade of essential goods such as energy, mineral resources, and food, and the maritime transport industry is considered infrastructurally vital. Similarly, the U.S. is also strengthening the economic security of its maritime industry.
Thus, the U.S. and Japan recognize maritime security as an essential element for national survival, and in cooperation with allied countries, such as Australia, India, Europe, and South Korea, are pursuing a "Free and Open Indo-Pacific" by stabilizing sea lanes through capacity building support and trilateral/multilateral training for Southeast Asian and the Pacific Island nations.
In this symposium, experts from the maritime industry, government, and academia will be invited to address and discuss the challenges facing the U.S. and Japan maritime security authorities and the maritime sector in light of the outcomes of the Japan-U.S. Summit and the G7 Transportation Ministers' declaration, as well as efforts made to secure sea lanes and strengthen supply chain resilience.
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