Outline of the second international workshop on Arctic Ocean Observation
Date:
- October 27 (Monday), 2025
Venue:
⚓︎ Yokohama Symposia,
Industrial Trade Center Building 9F,
Yokohama Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Address: 2, Yamashita-cho, Naka-ku, Yokohama, JAPAN
🗺️ https://maps.app.goo.gl/jrQraarfCKRYZsCk6
Access:
✔ 5 min. walk from No.3 or 4 Exit of Nihon-Odori Station of Yokohama Subway Minatomirai Line.
✔ 15 min. walk from Kannai Station of JR-Line, Yokohama Subway Blue Line.
✔ 15 min. walk from Ishikawa-cho Station of JR-Line.
Registration Site:
The registration deadline was Monday, October 13, 2025, but late inquiries may still be considered.
Please contact me (📩takashik@jamstec.go.jp).
Draft agenda:
| 9:45 | Venue Opens / Registration Begins |
|---|---|
| 10:30 | Opening / Welcome speech (Yoshifumi Nogi (NIPR)) |
| 10:40 |
● Introduction of Arctic Research Vessel (ARV) Mirai II, the draft first mid-term plan |
| 11:30 | Lunch & Poster session* |
| 12:45 | Group Photo session |
| 13:00 |
● Invited talks (Comments and advices to the Plan) (1) (15min talk + 5min Q&A) ✔ Anna Nikolopoulos (UiT, Norway) – The pan-Arctic network of DBOs |
| 14:20 | Coffee break & Poster session* |
| 14:50 |
● Invited talks (Comments and advices to the Plan) (2)(15min talk + 5min Q&A) ✔ Laura Halbach (Max-Planck-Institut) and Yuri Fukai (JAMSTEC) - ECS |
| 16:10 | Coffee break & Poster session* |
| 16:30 |
● Panel discussion 🔹Michael Karcher (AWI) - Modulator, Arctic PASSION ✔ Additional comments or advices from the floor |
| 17:25 | Concluding remarks (Shuichi Kodaira (JAMSTEC)) |
| 17:30 | Close |
* Poster session
Please note that poster presentations will introduce Japanese initiatives and plans regarding Arctic Ocean observation including an introduction of ARV Mirai II and the First Mid-term Plan for Arctic Ocean Observations with the ARV Mirai II (hereafter “the Plan”).
🔹 Research Themes under Arctic Challenge for Sustainability III (ArCS III) Project related to
observation using ARV Mirai II
1) Arctic Challenge for Sustainability III (ArCS III) Project
2) Establishing a Scientific Basis for Future Prediction and Conservation of Arctic Biodiversity
(Hiromichi Ueno (Hokkaido Univ.))
3) Aerosols related to Arctic environmental change and their impact on climate
(Fumikazu Taketani (JAMSTEC))
4) Tracking greenhouse gases accompanied with climate and ecosystem changes
(Eiji Watanabe (JAMSTEC) et al.)
5) Monitoring and predicting the change and variability of ice-covered seas for environmentally friendly
development of the Arctic Ocean (Takuji Waseda (Univ. Tokyo) et al.)
6) Research plan of coastal community project group during the Mirai 2 Arctic Cruise
(Monika Ogawa (NIPR) et al.)
🔹 Research Themes in the First Mid-term Plan for Arctic Ocean Observations with the ARV Mirai II
7) Evaluation of ocean warming and its impact on sea ice reduction
(Eiji Watanabe (JAMSTEC))
8) Understanding the dynamic changes in the Arctic Ocean during the “Polar Morning” in spring and
“Polar Evening” in early winter. (Amane Fujiwara (JAMSTEC))
9) Understanding changes in the transport of water, heat, and substances by atmospheric rivers and
evaluating their impacts (Jun Inoue & Kazutoshi Sato (NIPR))
10) Accumulating and evaluating scientific data and providing knowledge for the conservation and
utilization of marine resources (Shigeto Nishino (JAMSTEC))
11) The Changing Arctic: High-Resolution Sedimentary Records Exploring the Past and Present,
with Perspectives for the Future (Shinya Iwasaki and Masanobu Yamamoto (UH))
12) Toward uncharted Arctic Ocean floor exploration for deciphering continental–oceanic configurations and
magmatic histories (Masakazu Fujii (NIPR) et al.)
🔹 Arctic Research Vessel (ARV) Mirai II and
the First Mid-term Plan for Arctic Ocean Observations with the ARV Mirai II
13) Arctic Research Vessel Mirai II: Specification and Current status of construction
14) ARV Mirai II: Initiative toward the International Research Platform for Arctic Science
15) ARV Mirai II Cruise plan in 2027 and 2028
16) ARV Mirai II Cruise plan in 2029 and beyond
Objective:
The Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) is constructing the Arctic research vessel “Mirai II” (hereafter “ARV Mirai II”), which is scheduled to be delivered in November 2026. JAMSTEC will conduct the Arctic Ocean observation cruise by ARV Mirai II as an international research platform. To discuss observation plan, international collaboration, and various topics related to Arctic environmental changes, the First International Workshop on Arctic Ocean observation was held in Tokyo on November 18-19. The topics discussed in the first workshop included not only science but also technology, shipping, policy, international cooperation, and young human resource development, with regard to future Arctic observations. The report is available at the following website (https://www.jamstec.go.jp/parv/e/event/workshop/).
Following the first workshop and based on discussions held in Japan as well as within several international projects and frameworks, JAMSTEC has compiled the First Mid-term Plan for Arctic Ocean Observations with the ARV Mirai II (hereafter “the Plan”). Based on the Plan, the second international workshop for Arctic Ocean observation will be held in Yokohama on October 27, 2025, to share information related to recent and future Arctic Ocean observation and to discuss and develop concrete and specific future observation plan with ARV Mirai II with advices and comments from the participants.
Output from this workshop:
After this workshop, the first mid-term plan and the advice from this workshop will be compiled and published as a document with the cooperation of the coordinator, secretariat, and the presenters of the workshop.
Important date:
| Registration site open | September 1, 2025 |
| Registration deadline | October 13, 2025 |
| The second international workshop on AOO in Yokohama | October 27, 2025 |
General Information for WS Participants
Thank you for participating in the Second International Workshop on Arctic Ocean Observation.
For smooth operation of the workshop and your convenience, please review the following
information in advance.
Venue
- Yokohama Symposia,
Industrial Trade Center Building 9F, Yokohama Chamber of Commerce and Industry - Address: 2, Yamashita-cho, Naka-ku, Yokohama, JAPAN)
Google map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/jrQraarfCKRYZsCk6 - Access:
✔ 5 min. walk from No.3 or 4 Exit of Nihon-Odori Station of Yokohama Subway
Minatomirai Line.
✔ 15 min. walk from Kannai Station of JR-Line, Yokohama Subway Blue Line.
✔ 15 min. walk from Ishikawa-cho Station of JR-Line - Registration will open at 9:45 AM.
- Please register at the reception desk and pick up your name badge. Kindly return it when
the workshop closes. - A notebook and pen are available for participants. Please feel free to take them if you wish.
Notes on Venue Use
- Eating is NOT allowed in the Conference Room.
- Only bottled drinks with lids/caps (e.g., water or tea) may be brought in the Conference
Room. - Eating and drinking are allowed in the foyer, where refreshments will be provided. Please
refrain from bringing coffee or refreshments into the Conference Room. - Bathroom is located near the elevator hall.
- Smoking is prohibited in the venue. A smoking room (“refresh corner”) is available on the
basement floor. - No conference Wi-Fi is available. We apologize for the inconvenience.
- Please note that not all seats are equipped with power outlets.
Photos
- A group photo will be taken at 12:45 PM, just before the afternoon session begins. Please
return from lunch by 12:45 and join the photo session. - During the workshop, photographers may take photos around the venue. If you prefer not
to be photographed, please contact Dr Kikuchi (📩takashik@jamstec.go.jp).
Security
- A luggage space will be available at the venue.
- However, please take care of your personal belongings and valuables. Leaving items
unattended is at your own risk. The organizers cannot take responsibility for any loss or
damage that may occur on your luggage or belongings.
Presentation / Poster presentation
- For efficiency, presenters are kindly requested to sit near the stage during their session.
Please ensure your presentation fits within the allocated time. - Poster presenters are asked to mount their posters on the assigned boards themselves.
Please remove your poster at the end of the workshop; any remaining posters will be
discarded by the secretariat.
We are very much looking forward to meeting you in Yokohama.
Thank you!
Contact
- Takashi KIKUCHI, Ph.D. (📩takashik@jamstec.go.jp)
- Hajime KIMURA (📩kimura.hajime@jamstec.go.jp)
Institute of Arctic Climate and Environment research, Research Institute for Global Change,
Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (IACE/RIGC/JAMSTEC)
Disclaimer
All best endeavors will be made to present the program as published on the Conference website. We reserve the right to alter without prior notice, any of the arrangements,timetables, plans, or other items relating to the meeting, for any cause beyond its reasonable control. We are not liable for any loss or inconvenience caused as a result of such alteration.
(In the event of unforeseen circumstances, we do not accept responsibility for the loss caused by delays. We do not cover individuals against cancellations of bookings.)