Scientific Research Vessel 'Tara' to Visit Kagawa

The scientific research vessel 'Tara,' operated by the Tara Océan Foundation (Paris, France), which is dedicated to ocean research and conservation, will visit Japan in April 2026 for the first time in eight years. The vessel will call at Takamatsu Port in Kagawa Prefecture from Friday, April 24 to Sunday, April 26, and will anchor off Awashima, Mitoyo City, from the 26th to the 27th. This port call is a special opportunity realized through strong local demand. [Event Details: Port Call Ceremony, Ship Tours, Departure Ceremony, TARA JAMBIO Exhibition]. During the period from April 25 to 26, symposia and workshops hosted by Tokyo University of the Arts and Kagawa University will be held at Deck Galleria near Takamatsu Port. Details will be released on the official website and social media. The port call was made possible by the voices of over 157 people, including Katsuhiko Hibino, President of Tokyo University of the Arts, who campaigned for 'Tara to come to Kagawa.' Tara Océan Japan has had an environmental education agreement with Mitoyo City since 2019. The vessel, purchased in 2003 by Agnès b. founder Agnès Troublé and her son Étienne Bourgois, has sailed 580,000 km worldwide. This visit aims to share the results of microplastic research and the importance of the 'Tara JAMBIO Blue Carbon Project.'