Japanese geographers have conducted geoecological studies in mountain areas at least since the 1960s. These studies can be classified into two major streams : traditional geoecological studies focusing on natural environments and applied geoecological studies including human impact on the natural environment. Three major agendas of post-IYM (International Year of Mountains) geoecological research for the next decade were discussed, which include (1) conservation of biodiversity and environmental assessment, (2) sustainable development and conservation, and (3) evaluation of global warming. Although the number of published papers of such studies and of symposia/fora have increased especially since the 1990s, the methodological development incorporating GIS into geoecological research still legs. Training and encouraging capable persons with knowledge of fragile mountain geoecosystem and/or with special talents in geoecosystem conservation are urgently needed in individuals and various institutions such as local governments, mountain communities, environmental assessment and engineering companies, travel agencies, mountain guide groups, and NGOs.
