"Black Tears Floating on the Sea"—Memories of the Tanker Accident off Shimane - January 1997

"Black Tears Floating on the Sea"—Memories of the Tanker Accident off Shimane - January 1997

In January 1997, the Russian tanker "Nahodka" caused an oil spill off the coast of Shimane Prefecture, staining the Sea of Japan with black tears. Approximately 6,000 tons of crude oil spilled, severely impacting the Oki Islands and the coast of Tottori Prefecture. The fishing industry suffered devastating blows, particularly to the abalone and turban shell aquaculture industries, and tourism also sustained significant damage.

To clean the polluted sandy beaches, a total of 40,000 local residents and volunteers gathered from across the nation worked in the cold winds. While the Japanese government mobilized oil recovery ships and helicopters and promoted the use of oil absorbents, complete recovery required a long period. Furthermore, through cooperation with the Russian government and the International Maritime Organization (IMO), discussions were held to investigate the cause of the accident and prevent recurrence. This tragedy served as a wake-up call, reinforcing the importance of marine environmental protection and becoming a catalyst for stricter regulations both domestically and internationally. Sources - Environmental Agency "Report on the Nakhodka Oil Spill Accident" - Official records of Shimane and Tottori Prefectures - Sanin Chuo Shimbun (January 1997 issue) - International Maritime Organization (IMO) Accident Report - Analytical paper published in the Journal of Environmental Science