A prayer for sea safety in memory of Ehime Maru

February 10th annually is Sea Safety Prayer Day (海の安全祈念日) in Japan. The day was created after a devastating accident on February 10th 2001, when a training vessel from Ehime Prefectural Uwajima Fisheries High School, "Ehime Maru", was struck, by an American submarine, and sunk. Five teachers and four students tragically lost their lives. 

Each year on February 10th schools across Japan’s fisheries education network observe Sea Safety Memorial Day to honor the victims of the Ehime Maru accident. To commemorate the victims and reaffirm the importance of safe training voyages, fisheries high schools nationwide hold moments of silence. In addition, since 2006, students from Koyasan High School’s religious studies department have conducted an annual memorial service at Okunoin’s Tōrōdō Hall on Mount Koya.

The Ehime Maru accident reshaped Japan’s approach to training‑ship safety, emergency drills, and international communication at sea. The incident prompted reviews of protocols and raised public awareness about the risks faced by students who train on the ocean.