2025 Volume 75 Issue 4 Pages 406-425
What are the main characteristics of and challenges faced in Japanese environmental sociology? Let us start by acknowledging the pioneering work of Dr. Nobuko Iijima（1938-2001）, the first president of the Japanese Association of Environmental Sociology, established in 1992. Her unique focus on the victims' viewpoints and the social structure of victimization, as evidenced by her empirical research on industrial pollution and environmental disruption, laid the foundation for Japanese environmental sociology. This field still centers on environmental issues, the perpetrator-victim relationship, and the community level, all based on qualitative field research and the perspectives of local citizens. However, the discussion of environmental policy remains a significant challenge for its future development.
The climate crisis has been considered a research topic that is challenging to address with the tools and perspectives at the local level that Japanese environmental sociology has accumulated. While environmental sociologists overseas have been actively engaged in research on the climate crisis, Japanese environmental sociologists have been slow to respond.
Our research revealed that vested interests and historical effects limited the government, corporations, and media, leading to a lack of motivation to update climate policies and mitigation strategies. Citizens hesitate to engage in climate protection activities, influenced by the government and media's negative attitudes toward addressing the climate crisis. However, the key to breaking through this situation in Japan lies in the potential of local governments to take the initiative and drive change.
As we look ahead to the next century of sociology in Japan, we hope that the next generation of researchers will explore the many stimulating sociological topics related to the climate crisis and continue to push the boundaries of Japanese environmental sociology.
