Awards Ceremony for The Nippon Foundation – Ministry of the Environment ‘UMIGOMI Zero Award 2021’Recognizing outstanding activities, research, and technologies to reduce ocean debris
The Nippon Foundation and Japan’s Ministry of the Environment jointly held the UMIGOMI Zero Award 2021 to identify and disseminate to a wide audience outstanding measures being taken in Japan to address ocean debris (umigomi is a combination of the Japanese words for ocean (umi) and waste or trash (gomi)). The 2021 winners, selected by a panel of outside judges from among 276 submissions, were announced at a ceremony held on October 6.
Background of the UMIGOMI Zero Award
The first UMIGOMI Zero Award prizes were awarded in 2019 as a joint initiative of The Nippon Foundation, which is promoting the Change for the Blue project as part of its Umi-to-Nippon Project (The Ocean and Japan Project), and the Ministry of the Environment, which is promoting a Plastics Smart campaign. This was the third time the awards, which aim to identify and disseminate to a wide audience outstanding measures being taken to address ocean debris, were held. Submissions were accepted from March 22 to May 20, 2021, and a total of 276 submissions were received from companies, research institutes, NGOs, local governments, and other groups in Japan covering a broad range of initiatives, ideas, and technological development being carried out across the country.

2021 awards ceremony
Recipients were engaged in a wide range of activities and initiatives related to ocean debris issues, including activities led by young people to encourage people to become interested in issues and take action, pioneering initiatives to assemble evidence, locally focused initiatives, and corporate efforts to promote recycling, as well as initiatives that can serve as model measures to address ocean debris. Kurea Imazu, a member of the top prize winner student group Blue Earth High School, commented that she and her fellow high school students have been engaged in ongoing activities because having students spread the word about environmental issues makes it easier for many people to get involved. She wants to spread the word that environmental problems cannot be ignored because they are difficult, and hopes that the initiatives being presented at the awards by companies and other organizations will be developed nationwide.

Comments
Mitsuyuki Unno, Executive Director, The Nippon Foundation
These awards are serving as a starting point for joint activities among recipients, leading to more broad-based activities. The Nippon Foundation will use these various networks to develop model projects that cut across existing organizational frameworks.
Keiko Morimitsu, Councilor, Minister’s Secretariat, Ministry of the Environment
Many activities by young people received awards, and I have a strong sense that members of the next generation, who represent our future, are proactively addressing the issue of ocean debris and taking the initiative in spreading the word. I hope they will lead the effort to address ocean debris in Japan, and that this will lead to worldwide reductions in ocean debris.
Yoshizumi Ishihara, weather forecaster and television personality
Global environmental issues are entering a critical phase. I hope these awards will spur further activities, and bring these issues to the attention of many people.
Grand Prize – 1 million yen
Activity | Organization | Highlights |
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Blue Earth Project | Blue Earth High School (nationwide coordination student group based in Hyogo Prefecture) |
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The Nippon Foundation Prize – 250,000 yen
Activity | Organization | Highlights |
---|---|---|
Ocean environment educational program across 3 generations over 26 years that created plastic debris removal device | Ocean Family (NGO) + 2 organizations (Kanagawa Prefecture) |
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Gomibukuro (Ocean Protection Trash Bag) Project | Sumoto City (Hyogo Prefecture) |
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Nagahama Gomi 0 (Zero Trash) Project – Cute flags to eliminate trash | Team 530, Nagahama High School (Ehime Prefecture) |
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Local beach glass currency to make the ocean clean | Beach Money (Organization based in Shizuoka Prefecture) |
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Ministry of the Environment Prize – 250,000 yen
Activity | Organization | Highlights |
---|---|---|
ORINASU – Build with Scrap | ACALI (Company based in Fukuoka Prefecture) |
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Biodegradable disposable food containers made from 100% plant-based materials | Orikane (Company based in Aichi Prefecture) |
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“Elimination of plastic products” with the aim of preserving biodiversity | Kobe Animal Kingdom (Zoo in Hyogo Prefecture) |
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Taking Ownership project to address ocean debris issues in Seto Inland Sea | Geography and History Club, Sanyo Gakuen (junior / senior high school in Okayama Prefecture) |
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AEPW Prize – 250,000 yen
Activity | Organization | Highlights |
---|---|---|
Upcycle Challenge!! Ocean debris is a traveler | Anomiana (Organization based in Fukui Prefecture) |
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Picking up debris that has drifted ashore and microplastics at beaches that can only be reached by boat | E. C. Oceans (NGO based in Ehime Prefecture) |
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Omu-kun’s Long Trip – Raising local awareness through recycling of ocean debris | Interact Club, Toyooka Sogo High School (Hyogo Prefecture) |
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Re&Go container sharing service to reduce discarded containers | Nissha (Company based in Kyoto Prefecture) |
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Judges’ Special Prize – 200,000 yen
Activity | Organization | Highlights |
---|---|---|
Beverage container collection box to promote litter reduction and resource recycling – Attack Collection Box | Change for the Blue Oita Executive Committee |
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※More information about the award winners is available at http://uminohi.jp/umigomizero_award2021/(external site) (in Japanese only)
※AEPW Award: Established in 2020 by the Alliance to End Plastic Waste, an international NGO comprising more than 60 companies across various industries, that is working to address the problem of plastic waste. For more information: Alliance to End Plastic Waste(external site)
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Contact
Public Relations Team
The Nippon Foundation
- Email: cc@ps.nippon-foundation.or.jp