国際山岳年へのとりくみと今後の山岳研究の方向 : 国際研究の視点から

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This paper first outlines major mountain studies conducted in worlds mountain areas outside Japan by Japanese scientists ; describes the initiatives of the United Nations University (UNU) leading to the establishment of the Japanese International Year of Mountains (IYM) National Committee and to the Japanese activities for IYM; examines major Japanese IYM activities; and, discusses the future directions of mountain sciences by Japanese reseachers under the framework of IYM and beyond. At the end of the 19th century, Japanese reserchers started to broaden their study areas in many Asian countries including Taiwan, Nepal, Sikkim-India, and China. Mountain research by Japanese reserchers is nowadays conducted all over the world : however, such studies have not necessarily been adequately evaluated because of language difficulties. Meanwhile, the United Nations University (UNU), Tokyo, has conducted mountain programs in developing countries during the last 25 years. The UNU with great financial support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan, has had weak connections with Japanese mountain scientists. During talks among Japanese scientists, mountaineers, and UNU officers, the Japanese side developed ideas about activities for IYM and created the IYM National Committee. The Japanese IYM National Committee launched in 2001 was composed of representatives from academic disciplines such as geography and forestry, and those from mountaineering groups. The committee itself had no function for conducting research projects. Its major tasks were to organize and hold many symposiums and forums, and to publicize the meaning and the importance of IYM through posters, leaflets, articles, and a home page (www.iym-japan.org). More than 100 IYM-related articles were published in 2002. Several journals published special issues during the year, which include Global Environmental Research (Vol. 6, No. 1), Science Journal Kagaku (Vol. 72, No. 12), Journal of Geography (Vol. 111, No. 4), Zeitschrift für Geomorphologie (supplement volume 130), and Japan Map Center News (No. 358). The majority of IYM activities in Japan, however, focused on domestic problems, such as overuse in high mountain areas and decline of forestry, which were discussed in 26 symposiums and forums for IYM. As a result, international attention was not drawn to most Japanese IYM activities. Japanese scientists may continue to focus on domestic problems such as overuse and forestry decline. With extensive experience accumulated in the past, however, more Japanese scientists should address various mountain problems in developing countries as well. To fulfill this goal, it will be important to establish mechanisms to share the results with related individuals and organizations abroad, especially in Asian countries. Participation in the International Mountain Partnership Program endorsed by Bishkek Global Mountain Summit, which targets another decade of international collaboration to tackle various mountain problems, will be another important component to be realized by Japanese.

国際山岳年へのとりくみと今後の山岳研究の方向 : 国際研究の視点から

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