Abstract
Backed by the rapid increase of world population, a basis of the survival of mankind, espe
cially the shortage of food is presumed to become serious issues through the change of eco
system which caused by the global warming and climate changes.
In order to assure the practical prediction of climate changes and to take advanced countermeasures,
critical issues are the understanding of mechanism and process of the ocean variability
through global observation and study, and develop and improve the global simulation model of
the climate change which strongly affected by the ocean.
And also, the ocean is known to storage massive mineral, living things and energy resources,
and the sub-bottom is often become the origin of such natural disasters as earthquake, tsunami
and volcanic eruption.
In April 1991 and 1994, Nikkei Research Institute of Industry and Market (Nikkei RIM) es
tablished ”Research Committee on the Ocean Science and Technology for the Global Environ
ment” made up of university professors, engineers and journalists, and research and develop Sea-co
Program, and proposed to the political parties in Japn.
One of the highlight of this program is the application of small commercial aircraft for ocean
observation and these huge mother ship which also act as an ocean-going technopolis, and aim to
be the center of excellence opened to the world.
This program was proposed to be a measure of international contribution from Japan.
