Black Tears Drifting in the Sea" - Memories of the Tanker Accident off Shimane - January 1997
In January 1997, the Sea of Japan was stained with black tears when the Russian tanker "Nakhodka" spilled crude oil off the coast of Shimane Prefecture. Approximately 6,000 tons of crude oil spilled, seriously affecting the Oki Islands and the coast of Tottori Prefecture. In the fishing industry in particular, the abalone and turban shellfish aquaculture industries were devastated, and tourism was also severely damaged.
A total of 40,000 local residents and volunteers from all over Japan worked in the cold wind to clean up the contaminated beaches. Although the Japanese government mobilized oil recovery vessels and helicopters and promoted the use of oil adsorbent, it took a long time to fully restore the beaches. In collaboration with the Russian government and the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the cause of the accident was investigated and measures to prevent recurrence were discussed. The tragedy served as a reminder of the importance of protecting the marine environment and provided an opportunity to strengthen regulations both domestically and internationally.
Sources
- Environment Agency, "Report on the Nakhodka Oil Spill
- Official records of Shimane and Tottori Prefectures
- San'in Chuo Shimpo (January 1997)
- International Maritime Organization (IMO) accident report
- Analytical papers published in the Journal of Environmental Science
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