Morichika Sato
Business Location Promotion Section and Tourism Promotion Section, Commerce, Industry, and Tourism Division, Minamisanriku Town
Business Location Promotion Section and Tourism Promotion Section, Commerce, Industry, and Tourism Division, Minamisanriku Town
Hello, everyone. My name is Sato, and I came here from Minamisanriku Town in Miyagi Prefecture. In our
town, the marine environment has undergone significant changes in the past few years. Partly due to global
warming, we’ve been catching large quantities of spiny lobsters in recent years, so much so that it’s been
featured on national news.
Minamisanriku Town became the first town in the Tohoku region to obtain Blue Flag certification in 2023.
The certified beach is called Sun-Ore Sodehama Beach.
Since the Great East Japan Earthquake, the town has strengthened its environmental initiatives. For example,
in the mountainous sector, we have obtained FSC certification, an international standard for sustainable
forest management, and in the marine sector, we have obtained ASC certification, which signifies sustainable
aquaculture. Then the beach has earned Blue Flag certification, which meets standards for the environment,
safety, and education, making us a town with international certification in both the land and sea sectors.
On the other hand, I feel there is a challenge: at present, obtaining certification has become an end in itself,
and we have not been able to translate it into practical applications fully.
Today, as I listened to your stories, I felt a strong desire to work together with our residents to advance
initiatives tailored to Minamisanriku Town, such as Nordic walking utilizing the Blue Flag certification and
environmental education and experiential activities on the beach.
Moving forward, we intend to leverage the Blue Flag certification throughout the entire town, while
cherishing the concept of “making full use of the beach” and “having fun to the fullest.”