A new expedition is setting sail to discover new life in the deep ocean around Japan.
The latest expedition is a collaboration between the Nippon Foundation–Nekton Ocean Census and the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC).
During the expedition, the team will utilize the renowned Shinkai 6500 human-occupied research submersible to conduct dives over a 20-day period.
Commenting on the start of the expedition, Dr. Takeshi Kawano, executive director of JAMSTEC, stated:
“This expedition represents more than a journey into the unknown; it signifies a convergence of knowledge, expertise and a shared vision dedicated to advancing the discovery of marine biodiversity. With JAMSTEC’s Shinkai 6500 at its core, this mission shows the transformative power of international collaboration in deep-sea research. Together, we aim to deepen our understanding of life in the ocean’s most remote regions and to contribute meaningfully to the preservation of our planet’s biodiversity.”
While Dr. Akinori Yabuki, the principal investigator of the expedition at JAMSTEC, added:
“We’re proud to deploy the Shinkai 6500 on home ground in service of global science. Japan’s waters hold extraordinary biological diversity, and many areas remain virtually unexplored.”
Finally, Dr. Michelle Taylor, co-lead of the expedition and head of science at the Ocean Census, said:
“This is about more than discovery. It’s about creating a new knowledge base for ocean stewardship, led by Japan and shared with the world. Thanks to JAMSTEC’s incredible legacy and infrastructure and with the support of The Nippon Foundation, we expect to find species new to science.”
