What is MATSRA?
President
Kazumasa Kawasaki
I am Kawasaki, President of NPO MATSRA.
MATSRA is an organization established to operate and manage one of the national government’s demonstration fields, conduct fundamental research in the fishing industry in a sustainable manner, and promote fishery-related science and technology activities, thereby helping to increase the public benefits and promote growth of local community.
As a non-profit juridical organization, we are expected to promote diffusion of energies indispensable to our life and work, and contribute to growth of local community.
As Japan’s first NPO aimed to operate and manage a national demonstration field, we are composed of members from various fields and have a potential to expand our own activities. We may attract increased attention in the near future. We hope this undertaking will make Karats, where an ancient prosperous state of Matsura was located, draw more
MATSRA stands for Marine Test Site for Renewable-energy Asia. One of Chinese chronicles, Wei Zhi (the Book of Wei) explains in its chapter of Wa, which is the ancient name of Japan as used by Chinese dynasties, that a state named Matsura covered an area that is currently located in Karatsu City in Saga Prefecture.
Energy is a lifeline indispensable to our life.
The Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011 made us keenly aware of the importance of energy. People have set a high expectation of recyclable energy, which is the type of energy source that taps energy from nature.
The waters in the Iki Channel facing the ocean off the Kabeshima Island in Karatsu City are the sites of a “demonstration field” for marine energy selected by the national government.
Under harmonious relations among the national government, the Saga prefectural government, and related parties, NPO MATSRA conducts various activities, with an aim to contribute to the promotion of public benefits or growth of local community, and realize such aim through its operation and management of a demonstration field; promotion of science and technology, agricultural, fishing, and rural communities or hilly or mountainous areas, and fundamental research on the sustainable fishing industry.
To operate and manage the national government’s demonstration field, it is necessary to establish cooperation between the fishery, which uses waters, and energy.
It takes a new organization, composed of human resources who are well informed of each of the related fields, or fishery, marine energy, and industry, to contribute to the further growth of local community, in addition to a fair and appropriate operation and management of the demonstration field. Such an organization is mainly engaged in non-profit activities. Hence, a specified non-profit juridical organization (NPO), whose aim is to promote public benefits and growth of local community, is considered appropriate.
MATSRA was, thus, established as an NPO.
Activities
(1) Activity to promote vitalization of agricultural, fishing, and rural communities or hilly or mountainous areas
(2) Activity to promote science and technology
(3) Activity to vitalize economic activities
Business Operations
(1) Business related to operation and management of a demonstration field
(2) Other operations necessary to fulfill the above purpose
Directors
President Kazumasa Kawasaki
Representative Director and Union President, Saga Genkai Fishermen’s Cooperative
President, Saga Prefectural Marine Recyclable Energy Promotion Council
Vice President, J☆SCRUM (Saga Prefectural Marine Energy Industry Cluster Research Association)
Vice President Takeshi Kinoshita
Honorary Professor, University of Tokyo
Director, Nagasaki Institute of Applied Science
Vice President, J☆SCRUM (Saga Prefectural Marine Energy Industry Cluster Research Association)
Directors Denichi Mori
Operations Chairman, Kabeshima Island Branch, Saga Genkai Fishermen’s Cooperative
Directors Kiyohiro Uramaru
Operations Chairman, Chinzeicho General Branch, Saga Genkai Fishermen’s Cooperative
Directors Yasuyuki Ikegami
Director, Institute of Ocean Energy, Saga University of Japan (IOES)
Directors Takeharu Umezu
Planning Business Division System planning group head, Saga Power Distribution Center,
Power Distribution Company, Kyushu Electric Power Co., Inc.
Director and Manager Takeo Matsuo
Forestry Division, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Department, Saga Prefecture
Auditor Tomohiko Tsunoda
Chief Researcher, The Ocean Policy Research Institute, The Sasakawa Peace Foundation
Articles of Corporation
Articles of CorporationBusiness report
History of Establishment
Organization meeting on December 18, 2014 Status of organization acquired on March 9, 2015 Operation started on July 10, 2015