On February 13, 2026, as part of its efforts to advance its Town & Gown Initiative, the Kure City–Hiroshima University Town & Gown Office held a symposium on the theme of “International Rules of the Sea and the Future of Kure.” The symposium was held in Kure City, drawing an audience of approximately 100 participants.

The symposium opened with remarks from Mr. Yoshiake Shinhara, Mayor of Kure City, and Mr. Nobuhisa Kaneko, Director General of the Chugoku Transport & Tourism Bureau. Following the opening remarks, Prof. Henning Jessen, Professor at the World Maritime University (WMU) and Specially Appointed Professor at Hiroshima University, delivered a keynote lecture titled “The Maritime World in Turbulent Times - A Global Legal View.''

In his lecture, Prof. Jessen identified decarbonization and digitalization as the two major themes currently being addressed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). He also highlighted the growing importance of emerging issues such as the ongoing consideration of how to integrate Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) into IMO conventions. His presentation offered valuable insights into the current state of international maritime rules, the risks involved, and ongoing initiatives.

In the subsequent cross-talk session, moderated by Professor Hidemi Mutsuda, Director of the Hiroshima University Research Institute for Ocean and Maritime Futures, participants discussed the future of Kure and the development of human resources to support the city’s maritime and ocean-related industries and technologies. The discussion was approached from four perspectives: local government, national maritime administration, the shipping industry, and education and research.

During this session, Prof. Shinji Kaneko, Executive Vice President for Global Initiatives of Hiroshima University, stated that Hiroshima University aims to establish a graduate degree program specializing in maritime and ocean fields in Kure City. Through international university partnerships, exchange programs, and the circulation of researchers, the university hopes to cultivate leaders capable of driving the creation of international rules, such as those at IMO, together with new technological development.

Next, Mr. Tadayuki Uemura, Deputy Director General of the Chugoku Transport & Tourism Bureau, introduced how international and domestic rules are being developed to ensure safety amid rapid technological advances such as autonomous ships, citing the example of the Olympia Dream Seto. This ferry became Japan’s first autonomously operated vessel to pass the government’s ship inspection and begin service. Mr. Uemura also explained the relationship between Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) and IMO, and expressed his expectations for the graduate program in Kure to produce highly skilled professionals.

In addition, Mr. Katsutoshi Sugawara, Representative Director of Sugahara Kisen Co., Ltd., spoke about challenges observed from the shipping industry’s operational frontlines and shared expectations for the training of advanced human resources in the maritime and ocean sectors. He also noted that high technical capabilities can serve as a major strength in Kure City’s urban development.

Furthermore, Mayor Shinhara shared Kure City’s vision for the future, introducing the international activities of the Japan Coast Guard Academy. He expressed his ambition to develop Kure into a city worthy of the title “Marine Culture City Kure,” serving as a key hub in the maritime and ocean sectors where related stakeholders from around the world can connect.

This discussion delved deeper into the future of Kure City and the development of global leaders. A wide range of opinions was exchanged from diverse perspectives, making the symposium a highly meaningful and productive event.