Opening the era of “superyachts” in Japan

When speaking of a yacht, in Japanese the image is of a small boat that travels with wind-filled sails. However, it is different in Western languages. Yacht originally meant ``a luxury cruise ship.'' It doesn't matter if there are sails or not. The size of the hull also varies.
The important thing is that it is ``large and luxurious.'' Those are the true values.
Yachts that are familiar in Japan, even large cruisers, are around 40ft (approximately 13m) in length, but in Europe and America, many big boats called "superyachts" with a total length of 24m or more are being built, and boats are becoming larger every year. Some of them are over 100m long and can be mistaken for passenger ships.
There are currently around 9,000 superyachts around the world. Superyachts are increasingly occupying the venue at the Monaco Yacht Show, which is visited by Riviera every year and invited by people from all over the world.

Superyachts are rare in Japan. In 2018, a stopover in Yokohama was in the news, but superyachts rarely visit so much that the media bothers to cover it. The number of foreign tourists visiting Japan exceeds 3,000 million annually.
In this day and age, why?
“Superyacht owners around the world are also very interested in Japan,” explains Kenta Inaba, president of SYL Japan. Mr. Inaba is a shipping agent who supports the operation of private yachts. He is also working hard to attract superyachts to the country.
``Japan is one of the world's leading cruising destinations, with a long north-south coast and ports all over the place, where you can enjoy the changing seasons and diverse scenery along the sea.Also, the close proximity of airports and ports makes it possible to fly around the world by private jet. Convenient for celebrities.Entry by air
In Kunashir, you can immediately board the boat waiting at the nearest port, so you can enjoy your limited leisure time cruising - in the eyes of the owners, Japan's seas are attractive.'' (Mr. Inaba)
　However, in reality, there is a "wall". "The first is the characteristics of ports. Japan certainly has many ports, but most of them are fishing ports. Large cities have facilities for passenger ships and cargo ships. It is not suitable for the operation of ships, but it is not suitable for encouraging super yachts to call at the port.
Therefore, redevelopment of the facility is unavoidable.
The second barrier is the complexity of immigration and customs clearance. The inside of a foreign-registered ship is considered "foreign territory" even if it is berthed, so procedures are required every time people or goods enter or exit the ship. It's inevitable that this will feel like a hassle.'' (Mr. Inaba)

Under these circumstances, Riviera proposed the use of Misaki Fishing Port in Miura City, Kanagawa Prefecture. Misaki Fishing Port is a major base for deep-sea fishing. Misaki Fishing Port operates a large number of deep-sea fishing vessels that are similar in size to superyachts, so it is realistic to renovate facilities such as installing a floating pier. A deep-sea fishing port is unique in that existing facilities can be utilized for immigration, customs clearance, quarantine, etc.
In July of last year, the Miura City Super Yacht Attraction Committee was established in collaboration with 7 local parties, including the prefecture and the city. We, Riviera Resort Co., Ltd., are also involved and will be in charge of various tasks related to the reception.
The government is also paying close attention to attracting super yachts. ``I thought this would be a new initiative that would be unique across the country: making use of the characteristics of fishing ports for purposes other than fishing and making them multipurpose,'' said Yoshiri Asaba, vice governor of Kanagawa Prefecture.
"Sagami Bay is a sea of ​​blessings that has everything. It's close to the airport, and the Shinkansen runs through it. Within Kanagawa Prefecture, there are Yokohama, Kamakura, and Hakone, and Chiba and Shizuoka are also just a short distance away by boat. Delicious fish from Sagami Bay "If Misaki Fishing Port is revitalized through new efforts to make it multipurpose, we can expect it to have a positive impact on the fishing industry, which continues to be in decline." (Lieutenant Governor Asaba)
In general, it is said that there are often conflicts of interest between those who promote marine tourism and those in the local fishing industry. However, both fishermen and the Chamber of Commerce are participating in this initiative. We are truly “one team” now.
``Careful consideration is important for mutual understanding between parties with different positions.Representatives of local fishermen were also invited to Riviera's reception last August in preparation for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics sailing competition. Riviera is trusted because of its reputation for quality, and it also leads to collaboration among related parties.
I have high hopes for the Riviera's ability to connect everyone.'' (Lieutenant Governor Asaba)

In addition to accepting superyachts domestically, Riviera has also started superyacht charter business and superyacht sales overseas through a partnership with Camper & Nicholsons (C&N), a global superyacht business. This is a service that allows Japanese customers to experience the ultimate yacht life at ocean resorts around the world such as the Mediterranean Sea, the Caribbean Sea, and the Andaman Sea.
“The Asia-Pacific region is becoming increasingly important for our business as it continues to host big events such as the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2021 America's Cup in New Zealand. "It's a special experience that can only be found on a yacht. We hope that Japan's adventurous yachting enthusiasts will enjoy its charm as well," said Carmen Lau, Managing Director of C&N.
Riviera continues to monitor the world's yacht market and is focusing on building a global network, and now is the time to be able to guide you.
Aiming to usher in a full-fledged era of superyachts in Japan, Riviera will enthusiastically work hand-in-hand with stakeholders from all walks of life.