Current State and Challenges of Marine Environmental Cooperation in the Case of the Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA)

Abstract

This article describes history, status and characteristics of projects implemented under the Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA), as well as Japanese commitment to it. PEMSEA could be used as an important framework to establish a multilayered cooperative relationship in East Asia, based on the common interest of sustainable development of oceans. However, such recognition is not shared broadly in Japan. It is necessary to evaluate projects under PEMSEA in terms of environmental and socio-economic benefits. At the same time, the relevance of regional marine environmental cooperation toward Japanese diplomacy in East Asia should be deliberated.