Even if we obtain certain insights into the appropriate level at which forests should be conserved and managed, the next issue is who bears responsibility for doing so in the end, who pays the cost. This is a normative issue, and it is theoretically difficult to determine what is “right.” Therefore, I seek to examine, through the lens of historical reality, how the social norms surrounding forest management have changed over time and across different countries and regions.
Research Content
In my doctoral dissertation, I empirically examined cases in which municipalities located downstream of watersheds bore the cost of maintaining and managing forests, as well as cases in which private forest owners designated as protected forests received compensation under the Forest Act.
Since then, I have expanded my research focus to Europe. Through exchanges with distinguished scholars in public law, history, and accounting, I have developed a theoretical framework and am now focusing on forest guards as a concrete subject of study — individuals who served in modern forest administration during its formative period.
Future Prospects
Issues such as forests with unknown ownership and abandoned forest management cannot be fully explained by economic efficiency alone. Although my research may appear indirect, I believe it addresses the fundamental roots of these problems — an area that cannot be overlooked.
Educational approach
Finding social issues within mountain villages and forests.
Educational Activities
I teach several courses, including Forest Policy (undergraduate level), Foreign Forest Policy, Advanced Forest Policy Studies, and Forest History (graduate level), in collaboration with other faculty members. At the undergraduate level, the focus is mainly on modern forest policy in Japan, while at the graduate level, the courses explore domestic and international developments, with particular emphasis on historical transformations since the late 19th century.
Educational Goals
In undergraduate courses, students learn why the public sector has been involved in modern forest policy in Japan. In seminars and graduate studies, we expand our perspective to engage in broader discussions. Through these activities, I aim to foster individuals with well-rounded insights into social issues surrounding forests, equipped with perspectives and ways of thinking rooted in economics, history, and accounting.
Achievements in Human Resource Development
Below is a list of doctoral dissertations for which I served as the primary supervisor. A common feature among them is the effort to clarify theoretical issues in the humanities and social sciences related to forests and mountain villages through the analysis of concrete examples. These serve as excellent cases where abstract and complex issues are made visible through empirical studies on forestry, forest communities, and rural areas.
・Changes in Domestic Wastewater Treatment and Current Issues Associated with Shifts in Mountain Village Lifestyles (Noriyo Takada)
・Current Status and Challenges of Collective Forest Tenure Reform Policy in China (Chen-yang Wu)
・The Actual Conditions of Facility Development and Management in Oze National Park — Focusing on Boardwalks, Toilets, and Visitor Centers (Yangran Zhao)
・Approaches to Reducing Human Damage from Sediment Disasters — Focusing on Residents’ Participation (Miki Chiba)
・The Social Roles and Challenges of Environmental NPOs in Developing Sustainable Activities — A Case Study of Forest Volunteers at the Ashio Copper Mine Site (Yan Liu)
Vision for industry-academia collaboration
Examining fundamental social issues related to forests.
The Forest Policy Laboratory, originally established in 1893 as the “Third Laboratory of the Department of Forest Science,” has accumulated a rich body of research in response to the needs of each era. Since its inception, it has focused primarily on areas such as legal systems and economics, conducting studies related to public policy and nonprofit organizations, including the Forest Act and environmental legislation. In recent years, however, as corporations have also been expected to fulfill their social responsibilities, activities grounded in deeper academic insights have become increasingly evaluated. As the faculty member responsible for this laboratory, my foremost goal is to make our accumulated research materials broadly accessible. While addressing both fundamental and applied issues across a wide range of topics, I remain committed to fostering connections between academic research and society.
