This Fisheries and Aquaculture Technical Paper presents case studies of the policy, governance and institutional issues of marine protected areas (MPAs) in Japan, Mauritania, the Philippines and Samoa. It is the second of four in a global series of case studies on MPAs. An initial volume provides an analysis and synthesis of all the studies. The set of global MPA case studies was designed to close a deficit in information on the governance of MPAs and spatial management tools, within both fisheries management and biodiversity conservation contexts. The studies examine governance opportunities in and constraints on the use of spatial management measures at the national level. They were also designed to inform implementation of the FAO Technical Guidelines on Marine protected areas (MPAs) and fisheries, which were developed to provide information and guidance on the use of MPAs in the context of fisheries.--