2004 Volume 20 Issue 2 Pages 109-115
Twenty years have passed since the Japanese Agricultural Systems Society (JASS) was established. It is really a matter of mutual congratulation. I want to be pleased with this 20th anniversary from heart with members. This paper is the beginning lecture of the 20th anniversary convention of the establishment. Since it was such an opportunity, the circumstances of the establishment of JASS seldom introduced are stated to a center. It starts to explain International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), which has an inseparable relation to the establishment of JASS. First, the research environment of IIASA is described as dispatch of Japanese researchers to Food and Agriculture Program (FAP) of IIASA. Then, it describes activities in the Japanese IIASA committee, where the establishment plan for JASS was produced. Such a Japanese IIASA committee became an establishment preparation committee of the society, starting in autumn of 1983, and JASS was established in April, 1984. The society was established within the short period of establishment preparation which is not filled in half a year. A short comment is added from recognition that it is finally coming at the time to consider the research field of the science of agricultural systems. First, the characteristic of the science of agricultural systems is described. Then, if a research field is examined referring to the presented paper by today, it will be divided roughly into technology, management and environment. Moreover, on the other hand, it is emphasized that the science of agricultural systems is one of the most important scientific fields about the "global environment issues" human-beings are facing today. Finally, it describes that the science of agricultural systems has deep relevance with Land Use/Cover Change (LUCC) which is one of the global environment issues.
