Abstract
The area of interest of the Japan Society for Science Policy and Research Management is quoted from its prospectus, and characteristics of the discipline concerned with the area are discussed. The discipline has three salient features: (1) extensiveness of the subject area and depth of individual specialties included, (2) absence of universal principle inherent to the voluntary actors which form a part of the object of research, and (3) structured and practical character as required for a research program. The author discusses some difficulties encountered in dealing with the discipline.
