What Happened in Okinawa’s Waters in 2025

In 2025, Okinawa reached a record high of 10.75 million visitor arrivals. That same year, 111 people were involved in marine leisure accidents. This is on par with 2016, which was the highest number since 2001, when statistics began. The peak of tourism and the crisis of marine safety are unfolding simultaneously.

Marine leisure accident casualties rose roughly 1.5-fold over five years

Source: 11th Regional Coast Guard Headquarters (deaths and missing persons are 21 in 2021 → 29 in 2025)

Who Is Getting Hurt—and During Which Activities?

In the past five years (2021-2025), there were a total of 469 persons involved in accidents, including 129 deaths and missing persons. The data clearly shows where to take action.

By activity: Snorkeling accounts for one-third of accidents and half of fatalities

Total for the past 5 years: 11th Regional Coast Guard Headquarters (total of 469 people including 15 people playing on the beach and 34 others)

Snorkeling is often thought of as an easy activity that anyone can do, but data shows that it is the activity that causes the most loss of life in Okinawa's oceans. 63 of the 129 deaths and missing persons, almost half of them, were while snorkeling.

3 decisive facts

Each Activity Has Its Own Risk Profile

• Diving— 93% of casualties were tourists. 84% of deaths were over 40 years old.
• SUP— 69% of casualties were Okinawa residents. 78% said it was their first time or had less than 1 year of experience. Here, beginners among residents—not tourists—were the group most often involved.
• Snorkeling/Swimming— From 2022 onwards, more than 70% of persons involved in accidents have been tourists. Accidents involving foreign tourists also remain high.

Structural issues — Making safety measures easier to compare

Notification under Okinawa's Water Safety Ordinance and designation under the Maruyu safety scheme are different. The absence of Maruyu designation alone does not establish that an operator is unlawful or unsafe.

Notifications across business categories, unique operators and designated establishments are different units. A meaningful rate requires matching dates, scope, numerator, denominator and duplicate handling.

AMP advocates a market in which visitors can recognize investment in safety and environmental protection. This is a policy proposal, not a statistical finding about the cause of any particular accident.

AMP initiatives (2023-2026)

Marine monitoring infrastructure (project selected by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications)

A receiving network for the GPS tracker "SEAKER" and LPWA communication (ELTRES) has been established throughout the Yaeyama area at three bases on Ishigaki Island, Yonaguni Island, and Hateruma Island, and throughout the entire Kerama sea area including Aguni at two bases on Kerama and Kume Island. Together with the existing network built by Sony around Okinawa Island, this supports reception over a wide area. Coverage estimates are based on catalog specifications and do not guarantee reception. SEAKER supports earlier detection of drifting; it does not prevent drifting or guarantee rescue. An accident-insurance plan developed with Sompo Japan began in 2025.

Safety standards/training/database (Nippon Foundation grant project)

Produced crisis management manuals and over 30 safety education videos for diving, kayaking, snorkeling, etc. We have built a database to centrally manage the history of safety course attendance, and have established 71 bases in the prefecture (as of July 2026) for the deployment of medical oxygen kits. We are building a ``medical oxygen network that covers all of Okinawa'' in conjunction with qualification renewal courses, and are working to add 100 more locations in 2026.

Preservation of coral reefs and establishment of order in marine area use (Okinawa Prefecture sustainable tourism promotion project)

Although the need for coral reef conservation has long been pointed out, it has never materialized due to the conflicting interests of those involved. AMP has formed a mooring buoy installation council on the coast of Ishigaki Island made up of fishermen's cooperatives, marine business operators, government officials, and experts, creating a forum where opinions can be exchanged regardless of position. We are working with local communities to develop a system for safely using sea areas while preventing damage to coral reefs due to anchoring. In Yaeyama, business operators themselves have started establishing a council to take responsibility for safety and conservation.

Research/policy recommendations

Through joint research with Meio University, we are promoting the formulation of "Okinawa Glocal Safety Standards" that integrate international standards and domestic laws. Through such activities as inviting informants to the prefectural assembly and study sessions for the Diet League, we are conveying the actual situation on the ground to policy.

5 Recommendations — Make Okinawa “the safest place in the world to learn about the sea”

1. Wearing a life jacket is part of Okinawa's marine culture.87% of those who died while snorkeling or swimming were not wearing life jackets. We recommend that business operators, accommodation facilities, and the government work together to make life-jacket use the norm.
2. Teaching snorkeling as a "sea survival skill"Accidents have multiple contributing factors. Safety education is one part of prevention. We recommend the development of an all-weather marine safety education base in conjunction with the consolidation of school pools.
3. Creating a market where businesses that invest safely are chosenTo help visitors understand safety measures and the differences between schemes, we propose creating practical benefits from obtaining certification and reviewing the notification system.
4. Using mooring buoys and conservation cooperation funds to "protect while using" marine area managementWe recommend installing mooring buoys and establishing rules that will not damage coral reefs, and creating a system of cooperation funds that allows tourists to participate in conservation.
5. Shift to data-based safety administrationWe recommend the integration of data distributed among the Coast Guard, prefectural police, prefectures, and operators, and the continuation of annual fixed-point observations based on this white paper.

Citation notes and revision history

Coast Guard and prefectural police statistics have different scopes and should not be added together. Counts alone do not establish participation-based accident rates or comparative activity risks. Distinguish official statistics from AMP's program reports and proposals.

September 17, 2026: Updated provisional 2025 police figures; withdrew the inconsistent Maruyu rate and table; clarified the date of the first-half 2026 snapshot and the limitations of monitoring coverage.

Related resources: Okinawa water-accident data, national comparisons, About AMP. Corrections: contact AMP.

This white paper will be updated every year.

Please feel free to contact the AMP Secretariat for statistical data provision, consultation regarding training, mooring buoys, and monitoring services, and data citation in the press, government, and parliament.