zerijp 
On April 19 (Saturday), a keynote speech titled “Towards a Future Coexisting with Nature – Considering Sustainable Economy and Society from the Perspective of Science and the Concept of ‘Eternal Youth'” was delivered. The speakers were Ryoichi Yamamoto, Professor Emeritus of the University of Tokyo, who focuses on research into sustainable economic systems from the latest scientific perspectives, and Takayuki Ashizu, Chief Priest of Munakata Taisha, who works on creating a society based on the cycle of life under the concept of “”Eternal Youth.”” In the latter half, a talk session was held with Atsushi Suzuki, Professor Emeritus of Yokohama National University, as the moderator, providing a valuable opportunity to consider the future of a society coexisting with nature from the perspectives of the two speakers.
Professor Emeritus Ryoichi Yamamoto of the University of Tokyo Warns of “”Earth’s Limits””
As a leading figure in eco-design in Japan, Yamamoto began his lecture by presenting images of Earth as a small dot captured by Voyager 1 and photos of Earth seen from the moon. He emphasized the irreplaceability of Earth and warned that if climate change and marine issues cause us to exceed “”Earth’s limits,”” it will become impossible to return to the original state. He stated that although various companies are striving to achieve a sustainable economy, the reality is that no country has yet mandated environmental measures at the national level. Yamamoto believes that Japan’s natural spirituality can be useful in addressing environmental issues at the national level, leading into Ashizu’s lecture.
Takayuki Ashizu, Chief Priest of Munakata Taisha, Advocates the Concept of “”Eternal Youth””
Munakata Taisha was registered as a World Cultural Heritage site in 2017 under the title “”Island of the Gods: Munakata, Okinoshima, and Related Heritage Sites.”” Ashizu, the chief priest, explained the process leading to the World Cultural Heritage registration and the ancient nature worship that venerates large stones. Believing that marine ecosystems have a significant impact on the entire Earth, Ashizu established the “”Munakata International Environmental Conference”” for ocean restoration. He coined the term “”Eternal Youth,”” a philosophy of respecting the old while constantly keeping it new, and is working with experts and residents to solve marine issues. He concluded his lecture by stating, “”Not forgetting the ancient Japanese identity of being one with nature is the first step towards natural regeneration.””
Considering a Future Coexisting with Nature from Two Perspectives
In the latter half, a talk session was held to consider environmental issues from scientific and ancient Japanese religious perspectives. To envision a future society from the “”integration of knowledge”” of the two perspectives, Yamamoto stated, “”We need to be interested in how the state of the Earth is every day, like stock prices and weather,”” while Ashizu said, “Recognizing the fact that nature worship was rooted worldwide and finding commonalities, and the mindset with which we use new technologies are key.”
Yamamoto addressed various environmental issues being advocated worldwide and introduced initiatives being undertaken in different countries. Ashizu introduced the Japanese perspective on nature that has been passed down since ancient times and explained initiatives starting from Munakata Taisha. The lecture provided a roadmap for solving issues one by one for a brighter future without turning a blind eye to the current state of the Earth.
▼The event is available on YouTube on the BLUE OCEAN DOME official channel. Please visit the site.
【#005】 Towards a Future Coexisting with Nature – Considering Sustainable Economy and Society from the Perspective of Science and the Concept of “”Eternal Youth”” (ZERI JAPAN)