The U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, which provides a key framework for international maritime rules, marked its 30th anniversary in December.
Tadao Kuribayashi, professor emeritus of Keio University, is one of those who took part in instituting the convention, which, among other things, gave birth to the idea of "exclusive economic zones" that accord countries rights to natural resources in seas up to 200 nautical miles from their coastlines outside territorial waters.
On his recent visit to New York to take part in commemorative events sponsored by the United Nations and other bodies, the scholar noted that the convention has provided an impetus to maritime cooperation among countries.