[Toba National College of Maritime Technology] New Fishing Model for the SDGs Era: 'Shirasu-ru' Whitebait Fishing Support System Wins 2nd Place at International Competition
Key facts
- [Toba National College of Maritime Technology] New Fishing Model for the SDGs Era: 'Shirasu-ru' Whitebait Fishing Support System Wins 2nd Place at International Competition
- Students from Toba National College of Maritime Technology won 2nd place in an international programming contest for their whitebait fishing support system.
- Source: PR Times
- Date: March 28, 2026
Direct answer
Students from Toba National College of Maritime Technology won 2nd place in an international programming contest for their whitebait fishing support system.
- Citation
- [Toba National College of Maritime Technology] New Fishing Model for the SDGs Era: 'Shirasu-ru' Whitebait Fishing Support System Wins 2nd Place at International Competition (March 28, 2026), PR Times
- Source
- PR Times
- Date
- March 28, 2026
Students from Toba National College of Maritime Technology won 2nd place in an international programming contest for their whitebait fishing support system.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: March 28, 2026 at 17:06
- 🔍 Collected: March 28, 2026 at 21:59 (4h 53m after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 15, 2026 at 08:36 (418h 36m after Collected)
Four students from the Department of Information, Mechanical and Systems Engineering at Toba National College of Maritime Technology (Toba City, Mie Prefecture; Principal: Yuichi Furuyama; hereinafter "Toba Shosen") participated in the 17th NAPROCK International Programming Contest held in Hanoi, Vietnam, from March 8 (Sun) to 9 (Mon), 2026, and won 2nd place in the task category.
This contest is an international event for students from technical colleges and engineering universities, where participants compete in creativity and technical skills by aiming to solve regional and social issues using ICT-based systems. The student team 'ezaki-lab,' which won the top prize in the task category at the 36th National Institute of Technology Programming Contest (Kosen Procon), represented Japan and presented "Shirasu-ru: A Sustainable and Environmentally Friendly Whitebait Fishing Support System." As a result of the judging, they secured 2nd place in the task category. The participating students commented, "Although we narrowly missed 1st place, participating in an international competition was a very valuable experience."
After receiving a report on the students' achievements following the contest, Principal Yuichi Furuyama offered words of encouragement: "Congratulations. It is very gratifying to see our students succeed. I believe you have all gained valuable experience abroad. Please continue your efforts in the future."
Toba Shosen remains committed to fostering engineers capable of succeeding on the international stage and will continue to actively support the challenges taken on by its students.
Overview: 17th NAPROCK International Programming Contest
◆ Dates
March 8 (Sun) – 9 (Mon), 2026
◆ Venue
VNU University of Engineering and Technology (Hanoi, Vietnam)
◆ Participating Countries
Vietnam, Mongolia, Thailand, Japan
◆ Entry from Toba Shosen
Department of Information, Mechanical and Systems Engineering: ezaki-lab
"Shirasu-ru: A Sustainable and Environmentally Friendly Whitebait Fishing Support System"
Faculty Advisor: Professor Nobuo Ezaki
FAQ
What was the name of the student team from Toba National College of Maritime Technology that won 2nd place in the task category at the 17th NAPROCK International Programming Contest?
The team was called ezaki-lab, composed of four students from the Department of Information, Mechanical and Systems Engineering at Toba National College of Maritime Technology in Toba City, Mie Prefecture, Japan.
When and where was the 17th NAPROCK International Programming Contest held, in which the ezaki-lab team achieved second place?
The contest took place in Hanoi, Vietnam, on March 8 (Sunday) and March 9 (Monday) 2026, spanning two days of competition.
What project did the ezaki-lab team present at the competition, and what was its primary purpose related to sustainable fishing?
They presented “Shirasu-ru: A Sustainable and Environmentally Friendly Whitebait Fishing Support System,” which aims to assist whitebait fisheries while minimizing ecological impact.
Which principal of Toba National College of Maritime Technology congratulated the ezaki-lab team, and what did he emphasize about their international experience?
Principal Yuichi Furuyama congratulated the students, highlighting that their success abroad provided valuable experience and urging them to continue their efforts in the future.
What previous achievement did the ezaki-lab team have before representing Japan at the NAPROCK contest, and how does this reflect Toba Shosen’s commitment to international engineering competition?
Before the NAPROCK contest, ezaki-lab won the top prize in the task category at the 36th National Institute of Technology Programming Contest (Kosen Procon), illustrating Toba Shosen’s dedication to developing engineers capable of succeeding internationally.