Saga opens interactive marine plastic center to boost awareness

June 11, 2026 (MLN): The Saga prefectural government in southwestern Japan has opened an interactive facility aimed at raising public awareness about marine plastic waste, a growing environmental concern in Japan and other regions.

The World Ocean Plastic Planning Center, also known as “PlaPla,” is located in Karatsu, Saga Prefecture, along the coast of the Genkai Sea, an area regarded as a hotspot for marine debris washing ashore from nearby countries and regions, including China and the Korean Peninsula, as APP reported.

Opened on Sunday, the facility offers visitors a hands-on experience covering the entire process of marine plastic management, from collection and sorting to recycling.

Inside the center, visitors can engage directly with recovered plastics by washing, crushing, and molding them into accessories and household items.

The center also features a spherical monument that visualizes global observation data, showing where marine plastic waste is found around the world and in what quantities.

At a pre-opening ceremony, Environment Minister Hirotaka Ishihara said he hopes the facility will attract both domestic and international visitors and encourage them to translate awareness into concrete action on the issue.

Saga Governor Yoshinori Yamaguchi also attended the ceremony.

In addition to its public education role, the center functions as a research hub focused on microplastics, which are considered a potential threat to ecosystems and human health.

According to the facility, it is open daily except Wednesdays and during the year-end and New Year holidays, with free admission.

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