海洋研究―深海の春が待っている

--The Asahi Shimbun, Feb. 5
EDITORIAL: Japan surrounded by an exciting new field of research
海洋研究―深海の春が待っている

The seabed has tectonic plates that can cause devastating earthquakes, but it is also a treasure trove of natural resources. New discoveries concerning the seabed were made after the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 2011. Japan, a scientific and technological powerhouse surrounded by the sea, should more aggressively research and develop the seabed.
　海底はプレートが動いて巨大地震を引きおこす場所であり、資源の宝庫でもある。震災後の新しい発見もあった。海とともにある科学技術の国として、その研究と開発に挑むときだ。

Japan is small, but it is surrounded by territorial sea and an exclusive economic zone that add up to about 4.47 million square kilometers--the sixth-largest in the world. Since some of these waters are quite deep, Japan ranks fourth in the world in terms of the volume of water that surrounds it.
　日本は国土こそ狭いが、領海と排他的経済水域をあわせた海洋面積は約４４７万平方キロメートル、世界第６位である。体積だと世界４位、それだけ深い海に囲まれている。

Japan now has the means to explore these deep waters.
　その深海に探求の手が届くようになった。

The Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology's manned research submersible Shinkai 6500 and the drilling vessel Chikyu are finding new things about the seabed. In the supplementary budget for fiscal 2012 that ends in March 2013, the government has earmarked 11.4 billion yen (about $122 million) for the construction of vessels that can look for natural resources in wide seabed areas.
　海洋研究開発機構の有人深海調査船「しんかい６５００」や、海底を掘る地球深部探査船「ちきゅう」などの活躍で、発見が続く。資源を探す海底広域研究船の建造費１１４億円も補正予算に盛りこまれた。

With both the sea and vessels available for research, there is no reason not to take advantage of both.
　研究の場と手段、その両方がある。生かさぬ手はない。

Marine life is the focus of special attention. Because of the absence of light and the extreme scarcity of nutrients in the sea bottom, conventional wisdom held that few creatures could survive in such an environment.
　とりわけ注目されるのは海の生物だ。とくに深海底は光が届かず、栄養分もきわめて乏しいため、あまり生物がいるとは思われていなかった。

But 15 years ago, the unmanned submersible Kaiko, which can dive about 11,000 meters deep, discovered a large number of shrimp in the Mariana Trench, south of Japan, the deepest part of the world's oceans. These crustaceans have an enzyme that efficiently changes cellulose, a plant fiber, to glucose. The application of this enzyme could lead to the production of biofuels and food.
　１万１千メートル級の無人探査機「かいこう」によって世界最深部のマリアナ海溝で大量のエビが見つかったのは１５年前だ。このエビは植物繊維のセルロースを効率的にブドウ糖に変える酵素を持ち、バイオ燃料や食料生産に使える可能性がある。

Some of the deep sea creatures that survive in severe environments, such as mud volcanoes that erupted in the sea due to earthquakes, are resistant to high heat or carry toxins in their bodies. Their genes could become valuable resources.
　地震で海底から噴きだした泥火山など厳しい環境で生きる生物は、熱に強かったり、有毒物質を使っていたり。その遺伝子は貴重な資源になるだろう。

The Great East Japan Earthquake resulted in mass breeding of microorganisms in the hypocentral region. This is believed to have been caused by the generation of methane, which occurred when huge volumes of hydrogen were released from cracked rocks. The methane probably "woke up" the microorganisms, which until then must have been in long "hibernation" for lack of nutrients.
　東日本大震災の震源域では微生物が大増殖していた。栄養がなくて長く冬眠状態だったが、地震で岩石が割れたときに水素が大量に出てメタンができ、春を迎えたように活動し始めたのでは、と考えられている。

We may learn something about the history of our planet from microorganisms that lurk deep down on the ocean floor and have extremely slow-paced lives.
　海底の地下深くにひそみ、生命活動がきわめて遅くて、ゆっくりと時を刻んできた微生物たちが、地球の歴史を教えてくれる可能性もある。

The United States and Europe are paying more attention to the new field of geomicrobiology, which comprehensively covers rocks and marine life. In addition to being a scientifically fascinating field, it could lead to the use of them as resources.
　岩石から生命体までを総合的にとらえる、地球微生物学という新しい分野に、欧米諸国は力を注いでいる。科学的に興味深いことにくわえ、資源として利用の道もあるからだ。

We encourage Japan's young scientists to transcend their narrowly defined disciplines and challenge this highly promising field. It is a bit disappointing for Japan that overseas researchers were the first to show interest in genetic analysis of microorganisms living in the seabed.
　若い研究者は、分野の壁を超えてこの可能性あふれる領域に挑んでほしい。海底の微生物の遺伝子解析に真っ先に関心を示したのは海外の研究者だったそうだ。これはちょっと寂しい。

Japan needs to develop a system that encourages and values researchers who take on such new challenges. Universities and other institutions should collaborate actively not only in research but also in developing young talent.
　挑戦を励まして評価する仕組みがいる。研究機関や大学は、研究はもちろん、人材の育成でも積極的に連携すべきだ。

As a maritime nation, Japan's ideal attitude would be to aim for a brighter future through marine research and development.
　海から未来をひらく。
　そんな気概で、これからの海洋国をめざしたい。