In 1989, the Japanese government set up a deep-sea water research center in Kochi Prefecture on the island of Shikoku. After laying its first pipeline, Kochi Prefecture became a pioneer for other Japanese prefectures and Taiwanese businesses to learn from.
日本政府則於 1989 年在四國島高知縣成立深層海水研究所，佈下第一條管線後，高知縣也成為日本其他縣市和台灣業者爭相取經的開拓先鋒。