Okinawa coral restoration project creates jobs for people with disabilities

Okinawa has a new marine conservation project that employs people with disabilities to restore the region’s endangered coral reefs. Called the Satoumi Coral Project, led by Thanks Lab and partnered with Swiss watch brand Tag Heuer, it combines marine conservation with social inclusion, creating skilled jobs in the environmental field.

Thanks Lab Inc. is an Okinawan start-up focused on creating opportunities for people with disabilities in the digital society, and its subsidiary, Satoumi Coral Project Inc. The programme employs individuals with disabilities to cultivate coral seedlings in land-based tanks for approximately one year. Once the corals reach a suitable size, they are planted in the sea off the coast of Okinawa with support from the Itoman Fisheries Cooperative Association. In June 2025, the first batch of coral cultivated was successfully planted in the ocean south of Naha Airport.

A key feature of the project is its use of technology to make the cultivation process accessible. Employees use digital tools and IoT applications to monitor water conditions, manage feeding schedules and maintain the tanks, ensuring a stable environment for the coral to grow. This “Tank DX” (Digital Transformation) system allows participants to develop valuable technical skills while contributing to a significant environmental cause.

Coral bleaching is a major issue around the world, including Okinawa. The Satoumi Coral Project is aimed at restoring marine ecosystems that are vital to the health of the oceans by cultivating and planting resilient coral. With the pairing of these activities with employment practices, it may be a new sustainable model for people with disabilities to play a direct role in environmental protection.