Organized by KAKENHI Integrated Sciences for Sustainable Human-Aqua Environment Project and JIRCAS under the cooperation of Ishigaki City, a workshop was held to discuss the future of Ishigaki Island. Participants were invited from sectors in agriculture, environment, tourism, education, and high school students in Ishigaki City. Following the workshop, the seminar presented various research efforts focusing on the water cycle and the workshop results. Many thanks to those who participated in the workshop and the seminar!!

In the workshop, participants with different backgrounds, such as those who work on Ishigaki Island, those who have lived there for a long time, and high school students, were divided into small groups and engaged in group work with the visual practitioners from TAGAYASU Inc. and the researchers involved. The participants were asked questions such as "In the year 20xx, what kind of life, activities, or work do you do on Ishigaki Island?" “What will Ishigaki Island look like in 20xx?”, and “What should we do now to realize such a future?”. All the participants shared their answers and ideas to these questions, and the visual practitioners drew pictures of their thoughts. By examining the pictures capturing diverse thoughts and emotions, the participants engaged in a process of sharing and observing a spectrum of envisioned futures for the Ishigaki Islands. This workshop also provided the participating researchers with a valuable roadmap that may enable them the navigate and chart the direction of their research.

 

The seminar following the workshop was themed "Towards Ishigaki Island where water, people, and life coexist in harmony" and included a presentation by Dr. ANZAI Toshihiko, Project Leader of "Yama-Sato-Umi agroecosystem connectivity" project. Dr. Anzai’s presentation focused on research efforts exploring the interconnected realms of agriculture, tourism, industry, social culture, and biodiversity under climate change and the changing water circulation.

KAKENHI Integrated Sciences for Sustainable Human-Aqua Environment Project: WATANABE Satoshi, FUJIOKA Yuichiro, SHIMADA Nahoko, ARAYA Kunio

JIRCAS Yama-Sato-Umi agroecosystem connectivity Project: ANZAI Toshihiko, OKA Naoko

The University of Tokyo: NODA Keigo

TAGAYASU Inc.: SUZUKI Kohei, DEMURA Sayo