July 1, 2026
TOKYO – The government will revise basic principles of its Arctic policy in fiscal 2027. It will be the first revision of the country’s Arctic policy, drawn up in 2015.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who heads the government’s Headquarters for Ocean Policy, gave the instruction in its meeting on Monday.
The revision is aimed at raising Japan’s presence in such fields as developing resources and exploring sea routes amid intensifying global competition over Arctic development.
The government plans to revise “Japan’s Arctic Policy,” which states basic principles on the research and development of the Arctic and contributions to the formation of international rules for the Arctic. A focal point of the revision is the utilization of Mirai II, an Arctic research vessel of the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC).
The Mirai II is scheduled to go into service this fiscal year. The country’s first Arctic research vessel capable of breaking through sea ice, it will be equipped with underwater drones that can check sea ice shape and thickness and balloons that can observe atmospheric conditions. As the vessel will enable detailed examinations of ice conditions and weather observations, it is expected to help explore sea routes.
The government plans to deploy the vessel as an international research platform, using it as the base of joint study with researchers overseas. It plans to give overseas researchers opportunities to sail aboard the vessel and to make use of the vessel for private survey activities.
Takaichi stressed the increasing significance of the Arctic and asked that the Arctic policy be revised in a way to contribute to promoting international cooperation. The government will begin the work as a cross-ministerial initiative going forward.
In another area of ocean policy, there was also discussion of the development of rare earths in the seabed off Minami-Torishima Island, Japan’s easternmost piece of land, which is administratively part of Tokyo. It was confirmed at the meeting that experimental work will be launched next year to improve the project’s profitability and develop refining technology.