KUMAMOTO, Japan - A Japanese mega bank said Thursday it will work with the southwestern city of Amakusa to launch a study of the local population of some 200 dolphins living in waters off its coast via satellite.
Dolphin watching has been a key tourism resource supporting the local economy of Amakusa in Kumamoto Prefecture, with the study involving MUFG Bank aiming to understand the relationship between the marine environment and dolphin sightings and use the findings to promote eco-friendly tourist boat operations and environmental conservation.
The project announcement came after Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc., to which MUFG Bank belongs, donated 9 million yen ($57,000) last year for a dolphin survey project that Amakusa has run since fiscal 2022 as part of the group's social contribution efforts.
Amakusa in April began analyzing seawater temperatures and other data. Possibly later this month, it will also launch the survey using satellites to analyze the navigation data of sightseeing boats and the behavior of dolphins.
The Amakusa area, an island group about 60 kilometers southwest of the city of Kumamoto, is a scenic area surrounded by the sea.
Survey results will be compiled every fiscal year. A research team from the University of Sydney, which has expertise in satellite data analysis, is also expected to join the project in the future.
"In Amakusa, the loss of seaweed beds is causing fish populations to decline, and there is a possibility that dolphins will no longer be able to live here," said Amakusa Mayor Shoji Baba at a meeting held in the city.
"We want to develop countermeasures based on the research findings," he said.
In the future, MUFG Bank intends to utilize the marine database that has been created in fields such as fisheries and education.
