History of the Volcanological Society of Japan and Proposed Future Activity

Abstract

Volcanogical Society of Japan was first organized in 1932. Before that time, geological studies of many Japanese volcanoes were carried out as one of the projects of the Earthquake Investigation Committee. Great eruptions of Bandai-san (1888), Sakura-zima (1914), and Komaga-take (1929) were studied and descriced. These descriptions have been often referred to in literature. During the period from 1932 to 1940, the Society issued the periodical journal “Bulletin of Volcanological Society of Japan.” The papers published in this journal were largely concerned with geological and petrological subjects. Although many excellent observations on activity of some volcanoes were carried out by geophysicists during this period, little co-operation was made with geologists. The Society became dormant in iis activity in 1940. Having been stimulated by the eruptions of Miyake-zima (1940), Sy6wasin-zan of Usu (1943～45), and O-shima (1950～51), a small group of volcanologists organized “Study Group of Active Volcanoes” which was later re named as “Study Group of Volcano Physics”. The increase of activity of this group, coupled with the increasing need of cooperation with the International Association of Volcanology (IAV), made the volcanologists to decide to re-open the activity of the Volcanological Society of Japan in 1956.