2018 Volume 30 Issue 2 Pages 197-203
This paper explains the purpose of this special issue and gives an overview of the 30-year history of the Japanese Journal of Family Sociology. A summary of the history of the Japanese Society of Family Sociology and research trends has been carried out at almost every ten-year milestone. However, concerning the Japanese Journal of Family Sociology, such summaries have never been undertaken. The reason is that the peer review system for submitted manuscripts, which is at the heart of the journal, is a closed door. However, the trend in Japanese academic societies is now moving in the direction of disclosing certain information about peer review systems. In response to these trends, this special issue was set up in commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the Japanese Journal of Family Sociology. Its history of 30 years can be divided into early, mid-term, and later periods, each spanning about ten years. In the early stage, the foundation of the editing and reviewing system was established, while in the mid-term period, the complicated and more extensive editing work that occurred due to publication twice a year was efficiently organized. After that, in the progression towards internationalization and information disclosure, these editing systems were basically inherited. Based on this special issue, I hope that interest in recording the history of the journal will increase.
