Visit to Japan 2022

The IOPC Funds’ Director, Mr Gaute Sivertsen , travelled with the Policy Officer, Mr Yuji Okugawa, to Tokyo, Japan during the week of 9 May 2022 to meet with both Japanese Government representatives and contributors to the IOPC Funds.

The Director held fruitful meetings with the Chairman of the Petroleum Industry Marine Association of Japan (PIMA), the Petroleum Association of Japan (PAJ), and with the Director of the International Shipping Division at the Maritime Bureau, Mr Miyazawa, and other officers at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT).  They also met with the Japanese Shipowners’ Association and ClassNK, two non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working towards the continued development of Japanese shipping and ensuring high ship classification standards respectively.

Mr Sivertsen and Mr Okugawa also met with insurance providers, Tokio Marine and Japan P&I Club.

Japan was one of the original Member States of the 1971 Fund when it entered into force in 1978, having actively supported the establishment of the international liability and compensation regime from the outset within the Assembly of the International Maritime Organization. It is the second-largest contributor to the 1992 Fund, having reported receiving over 150 000 000 tonnes of contributing oil in 2020 and sends a large and active delegation of representatives to every meeting of the IOPC Funds’ governing bodies.  Such regular cooperation and engagement with Member States is highly beneficial and the Director is grateful to the Japanese Government for its continued support of the organisation.