Director of the Institute for Mountain Science, Research Cluster for Social Implementation
Academic Assembly Professor (Institute of Science) Ph. D. in Science
TOJO Koji
Elucidation of environmental change, prevent a disaster and reduce it,biological diversity through the mountains science.
Elucidation of environmental change, prevention and reduction of natural disaster and their various social and economic costs , promotion of biological diversity through mountain science.
The Institute for Mountain Science (IMS) is located in the Chubu region of central Japan. IMS conducts a large number of field surveys and research on alpine environmental conservation, climate, ecosystem, the earth's crustal changes, natural disaster prevention, and sustainable natural resource management in the Japanese Alps. IMS collaborates with research institutes and universities overseas and also with various fields of study in order to develop advanced methodologies and technologies to model and monitor the ecosystem and natural resources. IMS consists of four departments: Mountain Ecosystem, Geomorphology, Geology and Disaster Prevention, Forest Resource and Graduate school education, department of research cooperation, which are aimed at conducting international research comparing alpine environments in Asia and around the world. In particular, IMS focuses on " the ecosystem, wild animals and plants in an alpine region"," hydrologic and atmospheric changes due to climate change"," succession in plant and animal habitats"," cross-border pollution due to economic development in Asian countries", long-term climate and water quality change" and" geomorphology and geology related to mountain formation".
The Vision for Research
- To establish the new research field of "Mountain Science" in Japan
- To promote the Mountains Science program and to pursue collaborative research with mountain science societies worldwide
- To predict and solve issues regarding environmental change, natural disasters, and biodiversity
- To lead international mountain science based on collaborative projects in various research fields, modeling techniques, and in the use of advanced remote sensing technologies
Research Division
- Division of International Collaborative Research
- Division of Mountain Ecosystem Science
- Division of Geomorphology, Geology and Disaster Prevention
- Division of Forest Resources Research
- Division of Atmospheric, Water, and Soil Environmental Science
- Division of Graduate Education and Research Collaboration
Topics
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Department of Forest Resource
Research Team Including Associate Professor Hajime Kobayashi Identifies Impacts of Global Warming on Mosses
2022.07.29
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Institute for Mountain Science
Why have "Diseases" been existing since ancient times and what do they teach us? A new book provides deep insights on "Disease and Heal" for human beings in the era of coronavirus.
2022.02.01
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Department of Forest Resource
Institute for Mountain Science and the Middle Nagano Forest Management Office of Japan Forestry Agency Signed an Agreement in the Research on Forests and Mountains
2021.07.12
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Professor Masato Katoh published in the journal Remote Sensing of Environment.
2021.03.03
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Director's Message
Leading and driving "Mountain Science" research in Japan, Asia, and on a worldwide scale
Shinshu is a region rich in nature, where people are surrounded by the grand mountain ranges that provide the backdrop to some of the most iconic views in Japan. Shinshu University's "Institute for Mountain Science" is one of the research bases within Shinshu University's Interdisciplinary Cluster for Cutting Edge Research. As the only such organization in Japan dedicated to "Mountain Science", the Institute has a unique research program.
Humanity now faces many evolving, global issues, which demand active responses. Besides evaluating the impacts of the environmental changes caused by human activities, we also conduct research on the prevention and mitigation of the disasters caused by such changes, and work towards the solution of regional problems as such the damage caused by birds and wildlife in hilly and mountainous areas, and the aging and disappearance of rural populations.
We endeavor to analyze and predict environmental changes in mountain ecosystems, using the data obtained from the long-term surveys and observations made by our institute and research field bases spread across the central mountainous region, which includes the wide variety of habitats and environments of the Japanese Alps, as well as lakes, ponds and marshes.
In addition, as the only university in Japan that owns research forests in the alpine zone, mainly of the central mountainous region, we aim to promote and optimize the use of such field facilities. We actively encourage domestic and overseas universities and research institutes to make use of these facilities, and to plan and promote collaborative research that is both global in its scope and original in design.
By targeting our research projects to address local and global issues we are able to provide valuable resources for the decision making needed to respond to these issues. Our research results are shared with local communities and/or local governments, and also disseminated both domestically and internationally. Through these activities, we have become leaders in the field of "Mountain Science", driving research forward both in Japan and overseas and creating the innovation that leads to social transformation, including the realization of the SDGs, in an era of environmental change.
Director of the Institute for Mountain Science, Shinshu University
TOJO Koji
