Japan Symposium

On November 18, 2025, a symposium was held in Okinawa focusing on the issue of ship collisions with whales. In Okinawa, an island group south of Japan, a hydrofoil ferry connection between several ports is being planned—however, the planned route runs directly through critical habitats of the local humpback whale population. In recent months, this has sparked public protest, in which M.E.E.R., in cooperation with WDC Germany, has been actively involved.

During the symposium—where various stakeholders, including ferry operators, whale-watching associations, and scientists, came together—Fabian Ritter from M.E.E.R. appeared as a guest speaker. In his presentation, he described the situation in the Canary Islands, particularly the severe conflict there between high-speed ferries and sperm whales. In doing so, he helped raise awareness among the participants of how serious such a problem can become if potential conflicts are not considered from the outset and appropriate measures are not implemented. His presentation strongly advocated for speed limits and other measures to reduce the risk of collisions.

We will continue to monitor the situation closely and will gladly make our expertise available to Japanese researchers in the future.