Infectious Diseases on Cruise Ships Symposium: Major International Study to Report on Lessons from the Diamond Princess and Other Cruise Ships


The IAFOR Symposium on Preventing and Overcoming Infectious Disease Outbreaks on Cruise Ships: International Challenges and Responses is an event organised by The International Academic Forum (IAFOR) with the support of the Government of Japan through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) on March 10-11, 2021 at the Toshi Center Hotel, Tokyo, Japan.

This symposium will present the findings of the international and interdisciplinary research project on responding to the outbreak of infectious diseases on cruise ships commissioned by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and coordinated through IAFOR and the IAFOR Research Centre at the Osaka School of International Public Policy (OSIPP) at Osaka University, with the cooperation University College London, the East-West Center (Washington DC), Clingendael - the Netherlands Institute of International Relations, and the National University of Singapore.

The project was commissioned in October 2020 to assess the impact of COVID-19 on cruise ships, notably the Diamond Princess and the Westerdam. We brought together Japanese and international experts, working in the fields of international and maritime law, international relations, public health, and the built environment, in order to identify the challenges confronted by the ships, the port states, the relevant agencies and stakeholders, and the passengers and crew.

The first session on Day 1 of the symposium will be a review of what happened onboard the Diamond Princess, why it became a major crisis and what were the lessons learned, presented by the Japan Experts Committee. The other two sessions will involve experts from Europe, Asia and the US to discuss the multifaceted challenges identified by the project members toward relaunching cruises worldwide, from the perspectives of the cruise industry, global public health (and the IHR Review), international maritime law and regulations, and international cooperation.

For further information and outline of the agenda and speakers for this two-day invitation-only event, please visit: https://cruise-ship-symposium.jp/


About the Event

Date & Location: March 10-11, 2021 | Tokyo, Japan
Venue: The Toshi Center Hotel, Tokyo, Japan and online


To register your interest in participating online, please click here.


Collaborating Institutions

Posted by IAFOR