ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the Sekisei Lagoon Nature Restoration Committee (SNC), whose aim is the restoration of coral reef areas in the Sekisei Lagoon, Okinawa, Japan. The background and conditions of SNC’s initiatives, its institutional characteristics and challenges are assessed. Institutionally designed as a co-management approach, the SNC encourages active participation of citizens and stakeholders, while setting the administrative leadership. An adaptive management method, based on a Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle and a preventive principle, has been introduced as an organizational principle of this committee. However, in the current institutional design, its effective co-management is not yet being performed, and many challenges still need to be addressed.
