Survey and Research
Our Chairperson has met with IOPCF Secretary-General (SG)
On September 16, 2025, our Chairperson Mr. Shukuri visited the International Oil Pollution Compensation Funds (IOPCF) in London and met with SG Mr. Sivertsen.
Our Senior Research Fellow Mr. Nomura, IOPCF’s HNS Project Manager Ms. Grant and IOPCF’s Policy Officer Mr. Okugawa, and Counsellor Mr. Nakazawa and First Secretary Mr. Horii from the Japanese Embassy in the UK also attended the meeting.
Mr. Shukuri expressed his gratitude to SG Mr.Sivertsen and Ms. Grant for their forthcoming visit to Japan to address Japanese stakeholders regarding the upcoming second joint seminar on "International Trends on Liability, Compensation, and Indemnity for Damage Related to the Maritime Transport of Hazardous and Noxious Substances (HNS)" (details here: https://www.jpmac.or.jp/application/F441166/), scheduled for October this year. He emphasized the importance of this seminar as an opportunity for Japanese stakeholders to consider their approach, given the latest global trends.
SG Mr. Sivertsen replied that the seminar was extremely timely, as countries that had previously lacked interest in the HNS Convention were now beginning to take action. He expressed his expectation that the seminar would facilitate the sharing of information among stakeholders and contribute to Japan's decision-making process regarding ratification of the HNS Convention. In response to President Shukuiri's inquiry about the trends in other countries regarding the convention, SG Mr. Sivertsen and Ms. Grant indicated that countries such as Italy, Finland, Portugal, Spain, Hong Kong, and South Korea, following the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and Sweden, were likely to move toward ratification. They also expressed their hope that Japan would be among the first ratifying countries and lead other nations.
Furthermore, Mr. Shukuri proposed that, given the increasing geopolitical risks and uncertainties in the world, he would like to provide information to Japanese stakeholders about advanced war insurance systems in countries like Norway and requested SG’s cooperation for a research project to be conducted by researchers from his center and the Japan Transport Technology Research Institute (JTTRI). SG Mr. Sivertsen responded that they would be happy to cooperate.
The meeting in London, the first since September 2024 (the previous meeting was held in Tokyo in May of this year), proceeded in a friendly atmosphere, with a wide-ranging exchange of views.
