Underwater entrance ceremony held for new Japan aquarium staff in tank with 3,000 fish

TOBA, Mie — Five new employees at Toba Aquarium here took part in an annual underwater entrance ceremony in a large water tank filled with 3,000 colorful fish on March 31.

At the “coral reef diving tank,” where sea creatures including about 50 species such as green turtles and humphead wrasse swim, the new recruits, wearing typical dark business suits and carrying air cylinders with beginner markings, were given their letters of appointment.

The aquarium, a popular tourist spot in Toba, Mie Prefecture, has 16 new staffers this spring. Hina Nishida, 20, and four others participated in the ceremony, representing the eight who will be assigned to the breeding and research department.

While visitors looked on, facility director Yoshihito Wakai delivered a congratulatory speech through an underwater speaker, saying, “First and foremost, we ask you to give your all on the job at hand, and find your own ideas on how to make our guests feel happy.”

One new hire representing the five said, “We will work hard every day and do our best to become fully competent workers as soon as possible, so that we can be a bridge between the creatures and the guests.”

The underwater entrance ceremony began in 2006 and has been an annual event except for years when there were no new employees. This year marks the 17th time it was held.

(Japanese original by Tadayuki Otake, Ise Bureau)