Abstract
The purpose of this study is to explore the development of outdoor recreation research on parks and natural areas in Japan. From a global perspective, Japanese researchers have increased their presence in international academic forums such as the International Symposium on Society and Resource Management (ISSRM) and the International Conference on Monitoring and Management of Visitor Flows in Recreational and Protected Areas (MMV). However, the most important focus should be on organizing Asian researchers along the lines of organizations such as the ISSRM and MMV rather than increasing activities within these existing frameworks. Meanwhile, in the domestic context, over recent years, our research has been acknowledged in relation to practical management of parks and natural areas. However, researchers are not involved in the policy-making process; nor are our findings important in stakeholder decision making. In conclusion, our discipline based on conventional academic societies should be restructured to cross-cutting disciplines to increase the presence of outdoor recreation researchers. Furthermore, our academic activities under the discipline should be developed to organize Asian researchers.
