2018 Volume 14 Issue 2 Pages 141-145
One century has passed since the establishment of the artificial nitrogen fixation process using abundant molecular nitrogen in the atmosphere. The fixed nitrogen has provided chemical fertilizers to boost food production and materials for chemical industries, which have contributed to population and economic growth of the world. This new nitrogen flow grown in the anthroposphere of the Earth system is now very huge and disturbing natural nitrogen flows in the other Earth subsystems. Therefore, a framework of nitrogen management is needed to maximize benefits and minimize threats for sustainable human nitrogen use. This article introduces activities related to an international project, Towards International Nitrogen Management System（INMS）, through the standpoint of East Asia and Japan, and states expectations of future studies in the field of industrial and LCA research.
