Abstract
Marine litter has become a global issue and there is concern that plastic waste is wreaking havoc on marine ecosystems. In Japan, the government agencies connected to the Ministry of the Environment have been dealing with the marine litter problem through a legislation known as the Act on Promoting the Treatment of Marine Debris Affecting the Conservation of Good Coastal Landscapes and Environments to Protect Natural Beauty and Variety, which was enforced in 2009. The Ministry of the Environment has promoted the following activities: (1)Collecting and preventing marine litter on Japanese coasts; (2)Monitoring the amount, allocation, and toxic substances of marine litter (including microplastics) on Japanese coasts and in the seas around Japan; and (3)Cooperating internationally to tackle marine litter with Asian countries as well as global international frameworks. In June 2018, the Act was partly amended and efforts to combat the problem of microplastics have now been included in the Act. We will continue to promote all endeavors to reduce marine litter in our own country and international cooperation to solve marine litter issues based on this amended Act.
