Act on Promoting the Treatment of Marine Debris Affecting the Conservation of Good Coastal Landscapes and Environments to Protect Natural Beauty and Variety (No. 82 of 2009).

The purpose of this Act is to provide basic principles for measures required for the smooth treatment of marine debris and control of its generation and to clarify the responsibilities of the national and local governments, business entities, etc. while setting out the basic policy and other necessary matters for promoting measures against articles that drift ashore in order to contribute to ensuring the lives are healthy and cultured. In light of the fact that articles that drift ashore drift onto coasts via waterways that flow from the mountains to rivers and the sea, measures against articles that drift ashore must give sufficient weight to effective control of the generation of articles that drift ashore with the recognition that this is a common issue not only for coastal areas, but also for all regions. Measures against articles that drift ashore must be carried out in consideration of the fact that as a country surrounded by the sea, Japan's conservation of a good marine environment is essential for the rich and affluent life of the people.