Japanese Geographers Research Articles

Fragmented geographies: Tada Fumio and the Japanese empire in Manchuria, Mengjiang and Korea

This paper explores the placement and function of the discipline of geography in the expansion of the Japanese empire, doing so through the prism of the work and field research of Tada Fumio, a leading geographer in Japan both before and after 1945. This examination of this aspect of Tada Fumio's career and its interweaving with the construction and consolidation of Japan's empire will broaden recent studies of imperial Japan's simultaneous encounter with geopolitics and fascism while engaging with Japan's developing ideas about geography as a political and cultural discipline. This paper demonstrates the importance of the entwined histories of Japanese and German geographers in the Japanese empire, as well as documenting Tada Fumio's activities in Manchuria (northeast China) and on the Korean peninsula. Finally, the paper reveals fissures in the historical record of Japanese geographers in continental Asia and, until such time as more subaltern voices can be found, seeks to lay down the foundation for further research on the study of geography in the Japanese empire.

Gender geography in Japan: the trajectory, fruits of research and future challenges

The indication by female geographers outside of Japan that, due to the original dearth of female geographers, a gender perspective had been missing from geography held true for Japan as well. In 1993, Yoshida was the first person to discuss the importance of a gender perspective in a Japanese journal of geography. Nearly 25 years have passed since its publication, and the aim of this paper is to investigate what developments have taken place in Japanese geography on gender research. As the accomplishments of feminist geography in English-speaking countries was merely ‘imported’ to Japan around 1990, there is no firm starting point of ‘feminist’ geography, which originated in women’s liberation movement of the 1970s, in the country. Rather, it can be said that Japanese geographers, regardless of sex, undertake gender geography, which does not limit a particular sex as the sole subject and/or object of research. The results of research on gender geography by men geographers began to appear from the year 2000. The use of life history method emerged as a trend in research since 2000. While there has been gradual progress in research on gender geography in Japan, the number of researchers are still by no means large. While Japanese geography has hitherto involved a one-way absorption of the fruits of overseas research on gender/feminist geographies, at least based on studies that have already accumulated in Japan, it is now necessary that Japanese study results also be communicated to overseas.

The Association of Japanese Geographers’ New Vision

The Association of Japanese Geographers’ New Vision

Shibata, Y.: Geopolitics and the Japanese Empire: Thoughts and Practice of Japanese Geographers in the Asia-Pacific War

Shibata, Y.: Geopolitics and the Japanese Empire: Thoughts and Practice of Japanese Geographers in the Asia-Pacific War

Outreach Programs of the Association of Japanese Geographers Focusing on Qualification Systems

Outreach Programs of the Association of Japanese Geographers Focusing on Qualification Systems

これからの地理学と日本地理学会 ─「新ビジョン」のめざすもの

これからの地理学と日本地理学会 ─「新ビジョン」のめざすもの

第二次世界大戦後, 日本における東南アジアの地理学的研究 : その成果と課題

第二次世界大戦後, 日本における東南アジアの地理学的研究 : その成果と課題

Present state and future of E-journal GEO, a peer-reviewed electronic journal of the Association of Japanese Geographers

Present state and future of E-journal GEO, a peer-reviewed electronic journal of the Association of Japanese Geographers

東・東南アジア地域を中心とした日本の地理学研究―1980年代以降を中心に―

東・東南アジア地域を中心とした日本の地理学研究―1980年代以降を中心に―

Development of Contemporary India Area Studies as Part of Geographical Studies in Japan since the 1980s

This article examines research on modern India carried out by Japanese geographers, specifically since the 1980s. The studies were undertaken during a period corresponding with partial economic liberalization during the 1980s and full-fledged economic liberalization since 1991, when India's transition from stagnant to dynamic be- came apparent. This paper investigates a variety of factors in India's development. First it examines research relating to the changes in agriculture and the rural development that were key to India's economic development. Second, it examines the dynamic features bringing about major regional changes as part of economic liberalization to include reorganization of spatial structures pertaining to industrialization and the formation of new industrial regions, the progression of urbanization and development of major cities, and economic growth. During this period, the research conducted by Japanese geographers yielded many important achievements and results based on fieldwork. Because the research has been conducted in an era of economic liberalization and rapid economic growth, there are a number of studies that provide insights into the socioeconomic changes in India's cities, villages, and the mechanisms behind them. However, research studies on metropolitan cities and on the spatial structures of a nationwide scale have only just got underway, and we hope for more systematic research on them in the future.

A Review of the Developments in Nature and Society Studies in Japan from the 1980s Onwards

This article reviewes research trends in Nature and Society Studies authored by Japanese geographers, which have appeared in academic journals in geography field in Japan from 1980s onwards; these are organ­ ized into three categories, land­use and subsistence activities, biological resources and subsistence and the environment and resources. In two of categories of land­use and subsistence and biological re­ sources and subsistence activities, there has been substantial research conducted which deals with cases in develop­ ing countries. Yet, research on domestic activities in Japan where significant economic development has already been achieved remains scarce. The reason for this seems to be that research dealing with domestic agriculture, forestry, livestock and fishery conducted from geographical perspective has not emphasized subsistence aspect of these activities but rather these were considered as a part of industries. Accordingly, majority of research in these areas is conducted from perspective of economic geography. In regards to research on the environment and resources, it became evident that Nature and Society Studies has not yet determined what type of approach should be taken to analyze environment/resource use and environmental perception. The Nature and Society Study Group represents a new field in Japanese geography but its significance for research on human-nature interactions has gradually come to be recognized in community of Japanese geographers through various activities including symposiums. Preparing for and coping with natural hazards, environment and development, sustainable resource use, environmental change and survival are all targets of Nature and Society Studies, and research in these areas is expected to develop in future.

岡田俊裕：日本地理学人物事典 [近世編] [近代編1] [近代編2

岡田俊裕：日本地理学人物事典 [近世編] [近代編1] [近代編2

Réception et transformation des idées géographiques de ĽÉcole française de géographie au Japon

RECEPTION AND TRANSFORMATION OF GEOGRAPHICAL IDEAS OF THE FRENCH GEOGRAPHY SCHOOL IN JAPAN - The main characteristics of the geography of Vidal de La Blache and of his school of thought were known in Japan until the early days of the 1940's, especially through the efforts made by a professor of the University of Tokyo, Koji Iizuka. French geography was considered in Japan as representative of human geography in the world. It was used to counter Japanese geography, which was held to be environmentalistic and deterministic under the strong influence of German geography. After the Second World War, French geography offered an antithesis to fascist geography or to geopolitics during the movement of democratization in Japan, when geography was categorized as one of the disciplines of the social sciences. Two major elements played a role in the reconstruction of Japanese geography: the Vidalism tradition of French geography and the Marxist scientific environment. From the middle of the 1950's, Japanese geographers took an interest in the methodologies of French regional geography, for exemple the important notion of way of life. Paradoxically, they never wrote original regional monographs of Japan.

輸入学問か内発的発展か？―1970年代後半以降の日本の地理思想史と社会・文化地理学―

This paper discusses research trends in the history of geography and social and cultural geography in Japan since the late 1970s with attention to their institutional contexts. The 24th International Geographical Congress held in Tokyo led to the emergence of several informal and formal research groups concerning the history of geography and social and cultural geography. These groups acted as incubators in which the articulation between new trends in the Anglophone world and conventional research agendas shared by Japanese geographers triggered an interconnected renovation of the historiography of geography and social and cultural geography. Japanese historians of geography increasingly paid attention to non―academic as well as academic geographical thought and practices in Japan, in addition to the traditional tendency to deal with the thought of distinguished geographers in the West. New themes such as “critical history of geography” and “historical geography of geography” were also being taken seriously. Japanese geographers’ concern with humanistic geography developed diversely, on the one hand articulating with traditional research topics, and on the other, generating new interests in themes such as “geography and literature” or “sensuous geographies.” Since the late 1980s, younger social and cultural geographers have been more than ever tackling issues around the “cultural turn” in Anglophone human geography, the “spatial turn” in social science and the multiple aspects of modernity. These research trends are not fully based on “imported scholarship,” nor should they be replaced by “indigenous development.” Texts produced by Japanese geographers may retain the same intertextuality and hybridity as those produced by Western geographers do.

アフリカの地理学

This paper describes the academic themes, lessons and social problems geographers are addressing in modern Africa, as well as university geography education and the education levels in Sub-Sahara Africa, related to colonial policy, socio-economic stability, and population. Nature, culture, and society in Africa are both diverse and attractive to academic researchers. According to one estimate, there are more than 1,000 languages and ethnic-groups on the continent. We hope to research the uniqueness of nature, cultures, and societies of Africa. African people face social problems of poverty, economic disparity, social conflict, civil war, diseases, land degradation, etc. Japanese geographers should tackle these problems with African researchers in order to contribute to political stability, social welfare and development. South Africa is the most active country engaging in geographical research and education in Sub-Sahara Africa. According to the history of South African academe, the South African Geographical Society and the Society for Geography were integrated in 1994 to establish the Society of South African Geographers. South African geographers considered this movement to be a historical event under political changes that emerged during the new era following the policy of apartheid. Geographers are tackling social problems of Sub-Sahara Africa and social responsibility is important for academic researchers in Africa. Japanese geographers need to build stronger and wider partnerships with African geographers to achieve further social responsibility.

Association of Japanese Geographers' Social Action Program and Geography Education

日本地理学会が主催・後援する活動には，会員対象のもののほかに非会員を対象としたものがある．本稿では非会員対象の活動を社会貢献活動と呼ぶ．社会貢献活動は，一般市民向けのもの，学校教員や児童・生徒向けの地理教育に関わるものの二つに分類できる．前者は，地理学の有用性を一般市民に理解してもらうために行っており，その代表的なものが大会時に行われる公開講演会である．後者は日本の地理教育の活性化のために行われ，大会時に行われる学校教員向けの公開講座のほかに，大会とは別に不定期に行われる教員向けの研修会，高校生対象の「科学地理オリンピック日本選手権」，小中高校生対象の「私たちの身のまわりの環境地図作品展」などがある．これらの地理教育に関わる社会貢献活動の多くを，1998年に設置された地理教育専門委員会が中心となって他学会や研究会と共同で企画し，実行している．

Program of The General Meeting of The Association of Japanese Geographers, Spring 2010

Program of The General Meeting of The Association of Japanese Geographers, Spring 2010

Program of the Autumn Meeting of the Association of Japanese Geographers, 2010

Program of the Autumn Meeting of the Association of Japanese Geographers, 2010

資源論の再検討―１９５０年代から１９７０年代の地理学の貢献を中心に―

資源論の再検討―１９５０年代から１９７０年代の地理学の貢献を中心に―

Program of the General Meeting of the Association of Japanese Geographers, Spring 2009

Program of the General Meeting of the Association of Japanese Geographers, Spring 2009