Balancing urban development with environmental conservation has been a critical issue across multiple disciplines, including urban planning, sociology, environmental studies, economics, and political science. This symposium examines the theoretical frameworks and practical approaches necessary to achieve this balance, using the case of Nagareyama City, Chiba Prefecture as a reference. Nagareyama City has undergone significant urban development following the opening of the Tsukuba Express (TX) railway. To address sustainability challenges, the city has formulated the “Third Nagareyama Environmental Basic Plan”, which envisions a city where nature, energy efficiency, resource circulation, and citizen participation coexist harmoniously. Key citizen-led initiatives include the preservation of “Ichinoya Forest”, the restoration of the Tone Canal, and the “Nagareyama Open Garden” movement. These initiatives demonstrate the power of local engagement in sustainable urban development. The symposium focused on three key themes: (1) the role of social capital in urban sustainability, (2) urban planning that integrates local natural resources, and (3) collaboration between citizens, government, and non-profit organizations (NPO). Case studies highlighted various approaches, such as community-led green infrastructure projects, participatory environmental monitoring, and ecologically mindful urban redevelopment. The discussions underscored that sustainable urban development requires not only physical environmental planning but also mechanisms for fostering civic engagement and cooperation. Findings suggest that urban and environmental planning should not be seen as opposing forces but as interdependent processes that can benefit from active citizen participation and social capital. The lessons from Nagareyama City can serve as a model for other municipalities in Japan and globally, demonstrating that collaborative approaches between stakeholders can lead to more resilient and sustainable urban futures.

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From the perspective of social capital, Nagareyama City faces several challenges, including changes in bonding social capital, a lack of bridging social capital, and dysfunction in linking social capital. While initiatives such as the Open Garden and the Green Chain Strategy have had significance from an environmental conservation standpoint, the absence of well-structured mechanisms for citizen participation has resulted in the prioritization of urban development. For Nagareyama City to achieve sustainable urban development, it is essential to rebuild social capital by fostering relationships between long-term and new residents, enhancing citizen participation in environmental policies, and strengthening collaboration between the government and the community. Through these efforts, the city can go beyond mere population growth and develop into a truly livable community that maintains a strong sense of local cohesion.

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Our intuitions do not work well concerning non-human animals, and we continue to cause them enormous suffering. In the field of Animal Ethics, where we aren’t accustomed to thinking rationally, it cannot be expected that our intuitions lead us to good actions. With such background, this study focuses on “Two-Level Utilitarianism”, which provides appropriate guidance even in areas where intuitions fall short. The purpose of this study is to clarify the strengths and challenges of Gary E. Varner’s theory, a previous study, by critically examining it, thereby laying the groundwork for the construction of animal ethics based on Two-Level Utilitarianism. Two-Level Utilitarianism divides ethical thought into two levels, the “intuitive level” and the “critical level”, and explains how we should think according to various situations. In general situations, we operate at the former level, dealing with issues by following simple intuitive rules. In novel situations, however, we are required to move to the latter level and adopt utilitarian critical thinking. Verner applies this theory to Animal Ethics. He categorizes sentient animals into three groups based on research into their sensory and cognitive abilities: “person”, “near-person” and “merely sentient”. He also considers the issues of animals from both the intuitive and the critical level, addressing agriculture. Verner’s practical-oriented theory is commendable for its detailed arguments. On the other hand, there are also serious problems with his theory. For example, he argues that “life story” has special value, but his explanation is unconvincing. He also argues that humane agriculture can be rational, but properly applied Two-Level Utilitarianism would rather prohibit such agriculture. In this paper, I propose adopting the hedonism for the former issue and the abolitionist approach for the latter issue. This study analyzes these points to highlight the challenges and prospects in constructing animal ethics based on Two-Level Utilitarianism.

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For many years, two opposing axes have existed in environmental thought: “anthropo-centered or not” and “allow semi-permanent economic growth or not”. However, these opposing axes are already becoming a thing of the past. The issue in environmental thought today is rather, whether we should adapt human society to the requirements of the global ecosystem, or whether, on the contrary, we should adapt the global ecosystem to the requirements of human society. In this paper, the ideology that takes the latter position is called “environmental accelerationism”. Environmental accelerationism is defined as a philosophy that seeks to overcome the limits of the natural environment, or “one earth amount”, by manipulating, managing and controlling the global environment through the power of technology, while maintaining the current socio-economic system. Whether desirable or not, in future, environmental accelerationism could become the mainstream environmental ideology, with degrowth defeated and green growth absorbed. The purpose of this paper is to clarify the relationship between environmental accelerationism and accelerationism in contemporary thought. Accelerationism is a philosophical trend that has been popular in the United States since the 2010s, and its core idea is that the current mainstream socioeconomic system should be further accelerated, while acknowledging that capitalist society has various problems. In this paper, after analyzing the positions of N. Land from right-accelerationism, A. Srnicek and A. Williams from left-accelerationism, and the e/acc and d/acc positions that have become hot topics in the tech industry in recent years, it is examined how these positions are connected to environmental accelerationism.

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Born as an activity in closed communities, science has gained an enormous power supported by the political and industrial complexes. Science was criticized and its basis was questioned, but British sociologists of science Harry Collins and Robert Evans revalued science in their paper “The third wave of science studies.” According to them, the First Wave was the wave of “positivism” characterized by an optimistic view of science. The Second Wave declared that science is open to society, relativizing scientific knowledge. The Third Wave, however, is now trying to identify the role of scientific experts in society. They argued they were rejecting technocracy by protecting science from the imperatives of market economy and political power, but the division of experts and non-experts is problematic. To assess their view, we can consult theories of sociology, which has long been committed to situating science in the modern society. Niklas Luhmann argued that science is one of the functionally differentiated social systems which enables us to assert new, unheard-of knowledge through the medium of “truth,” though he didn’t regard all the people as included in the science system. To the contrary, Jürgen Habermas regards modern science as inherently oriented to technical control, which increases instrumental power of the government and the military sector. However, Habermas’s view of the validity claim of truth looks very similar to Luhmann’s notion of the truth medium. Now we can see that the science system is not yet fully established, but limited to the experts who exclusively possess scientific knowledge. Collins and Evans were right in protecting science against political power and market imperatives, but they were wrong when they separated experts from non-experts, which might lead to instrumental dominance over people. To protect the autonomy of science, the science system must be democratized and become open to people.

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In order to transform modern society into a sustainable, symbiosis society, increasing attention is being paid to the concept of Planetary Health. Planetary Health is a crucial framework for understanding the inter-relationship between human, nature, health, welfare, and equity. It is based on the idea that human health and the health of nature exist on a continuum. This paper summarizes the results of a survey conducted to explore how people perceive the continuum between their own health and the health of nature, with the aim of popularizing Planetary Health. The survey examined whether organic consumers are aware of the link between their health and the health of nature. The popularity of organic products in Japan grew in the 1990s due to increasing awareness of food and health, and further expanded in the 2000s as people reconsidered their lifestyles. During this time, health became a recognized value, and maintaining well-being became closely associated with dietary choices. From this analyzing, it indicated that people do not necessarily recognize the continuity between their own health and the health of nature. Instead, they purchase organic products primarily to avoid exposure to chemicals. For realizing symbiosis with nature, it was pointed out that we need to recognize the continuity between our own health and the health of nature in another way that we have seen in the past.

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In an effort to reduce plastic waste in the school milk supply chain, a nationwide transition to strawless milk cartons has been underway. This paper aims to examine the factors influencing the adoption of strawless milk cartons in school milk distribution, focusing on the motivations of suppliers, stakeholder responses, and challenges encountered post-implementation. We conducted interviews with three suppliers of school milk using strawless cartons, along with relevant local government officers and nutrition educators in each supplier’s respective prefecture. The school milk suppliers adopted strawless cartons to ensure regulatory compliance and support Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Although schools initially expressed resistance to drinking directly from the carton without a straw, concerns were raised about risks to students with milk allergies during consumption and recycling, as well as apprehensions regarding increased burdens and confusion in educational settings. However, no major issues emerged after implementation, largely due to effective communication and coordinated efforts among stakeholders. One factor that facilitated this cooperation was the superior geographical and social proximity among stakeholders in the school milk supply chain compared to that of commercial milk. This advantage was leveraged to engage in prior discussions and explanations with government authorities and school officials, enabling a thorough examination of school- specific implementation measures before adoption. Additionally, the necessity of reducing the environmental impact within the supply chain and promoting Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) was explicitly recognized in regulatory frameworks and had become widely accepted as a social norm. These factors collectively contributed to fostering cooperation among stakeholders with differing perspectives, ultimately facilitating the smooth implementation of strawless cartons.

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This study aims to explore teachers’ perceptions of the implementation of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in primary schools in Xilinhot City, Inner Mongolia. It employs a mixed-method approach, combining quantitative and qualitative descriptive methods. The research participants are teachers from environmentally friendly and regular primary schools. Data were collected using questionnaires, interviews, and observation sheets. The responses were analyzed using t-tests to determine the differences between the two types of schools, and the interview responses were categorized for further analysis. According to the data analysis, the term “ESD” is still relatively new to many teachers, with a significant number indicating limited familiarity with the concept. The implementation of ESD practices showed a higher level of enthusiasm and recognition among teachers from environmentally friendly schools compared to those from regular schools. Specifically, 60% of teachers from environmentally friendly schools demonstrated a thorough understanding and positive attitude toward ESD, whereas only 35% of teachers from regular schools showed similar levels of understanding and enthusiasm. Furthermore, 25% of teachers from regular schools reported challenges in integrating ESD into their teaching practices, primarily due to a lack of resources and training. This study also highlights that the introduction of the ASAZA Foundation’s ESD practices provided a practical framework for teachers, enhancing their ability to incorporate sustainable development concepts into their daily teaching. Teachers from environmentally friendly schools reported utilizing a variety of ESD activities, such as project-based learning and community involvement, more frequently than their counterparts in regular schools. This study underscores the importance of targeted professional development and resource allocation to support the effective implementation of ESD in primary schools. The findings provide valuable recommendations for promoting and implementing ESD in Xilinhot City, emphasizing the need for continuous support and training for teachers to foster a sustainable educational environment.

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In this article, we discuss the possibility of local museums as places of learning for local people through collaboration with junior high and high school exploration activities, based on the results of our collaborative program. In this program, there are two types of learners: junior high and high school students in school education and local people in social education, and in this article we considered the latter. We displayed the results of the integrated junior and senior high school’s exploration activities as exhibits in the local museum to local people, asked people to comment on the exhibits, and had these comments evaluated by local educators. As a result, we clarified the following points. 1 There are some problems in the planning process of this program, but it is possible for museums to collect the results of school exploration activities and make them available to the local community in a way that contributes to social education. 2 By displaying the results of junior high and high school students’ inquiry activities in a museum and encouraging local people to comment on the exhibits, we will contribute to the development of local people’s ability to engage in communication and form their own agency.

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Setting ambitious targets in the Strategy for Sustainable Food Systems is a policy transfer modeled after the Farm to Fork strategy led by the EU. In the EU, which has set 2030 as its target year, various measures are currently being implemented to achieve its goals. We aim to contribute to Japan’s goal achievement through the transfer of these insightful policy measures. To do so, it is essential to understand the related fields that form the background to the promotion of organic farming in the EU. In the EU, there are already member states and regions where the area of land under organic farming exceeds 25%. The promotion of organic farming has been undertaken in member states for some time, along with the reduction of pesticides and chemical fertilizers set as targets seen in the Farm to Fork strategy. In addition to providing subsidies to producers, organic farming research and development, introduction in agricultural education, investment in the downstream sector and stimulating consumption have also been implemented. Policy issues surrounding organic farming include groundwater pollution by nitrate nitrogen and pesticides, and the reduction of biodiversity and habitats on and around farmland, which require the correction of intensive agricultural production and the reduction of pesticide use. The introduction of the precautionary principle in EU policies has led to active reductions in pesticide use to mitigate the risks of pesticides to biodiversity and human health. Scientists in Japan have pointed out issues such as nitrate contamination of groundwater, the decline in biodiversity in farmland, and the risk of Parkinson's disease associated with pesticides. However, these remain less important policy issues. Understanding the policy background of organic farming promotion and transferring related policy areas, such as reducing pesticide use, are required to achieve the goals.

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Although the number of foreigners in Japan is increasing, it is difficult for foreigners to secure private rental housing. The purpose of this paper is to explore the possibility of NPOs and landlords working together to promote the securing of rental housing for foreigners. The survey consisted of interviews and questionnaire surveys with NPOs that provide support for foreigners in Mie Prefecture, landlords who are positive about accepting foreigners, landlords who are reluctant to accept foreigners, employees of rental agencies and property management companies, loan officers at financial institutions, and foreigners. The survey results showed that NPOs have no direct connections with landlords, making it difficult for them to provide support. Landlords who are proactive in accepting foreigners may do so in order to increase occupancy rates and make loans more favorable. Landlords who are reluctant to accept foreigners have a low awareness of management. When financial institutions provide loans, there is the possibility that social contribution activities, such as accepting foreign tenants, will lead to profits and have a positive effect on loan terms. Real estate agencies and management companies would like to accept foreigners who do not have problematic behavior or credit concerns, but a lack of understanding from landlords is an obstacle.For foreigners, landlords' understanding and high costs are obstacles. The results of this study suggest that collaboration between landlords and NPOs may contribute to building a better society by securing rental housing for foreigners. Landlords can utilize the problem-solving capabilities and tenant information of NPOs to make it possible for them to accept foreign tenants. NPOs can also receive fees from landlords. This increases the possibility of resolving housing issues for foreigners.

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A summary of the results of this study is as follows. 1Describes the meaning, relationship with ownership and use rights, form and period, etc. regarding the contract management rights of grasslands in China; 2Describes the ownership and boundaries of grassland in China. It was pointed out that laws related to dispute resolution include the Grassland Law etc.. And 3it was clarified that “the work to rights confirmation” in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region was not necessarily going smoothly and that there were various problems. In addition, 4the actual state of the dispute was clarified by extracting representative cases of related litigation in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and describing them in detail. Finally, 5we considered future methods for resolving disputes regarding ownership of grassland rights and boundaries as follows. The government is aware that it will not be able to put a stop to these disputes simply by enacting provisions for dispute resolution, and is carrying out “rights confirmation work”. However, this work was not progressing smoothly. The causes included poor administration, inaccuracies in past surveying techniques, etc. The first future challenge is to eliminate these causes. However, even after the work to rights confirmation has been completed, the subject of rights and boundaries may change, so even after work in each prefecture, Gachas and higher administrative units need to constantly check the rights relationship. Regarding resolutions by people’s courts, I have seen many precedents, but it seems that the decisions dealing with these issues tend to be ad hoc. It is thought that it is necessary to classify cases into major categories and representative examples as seen in this paper, systematically define solutions for those cases, and to formulate a certain formula so that the conclusions do not differ from case to case.

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In recent years，the frequent occurrence of large-scale disasters in Japan has made disaster-related deaths a social issue，with an increase in disaster-related deaths， particularly among vulnerable groups such as the elderly and people with disabilities， who lose their lives due to the harsh conditions and psychological stress of living in evacuation shelters. The purpose of this study is to clarify effective disaster prevention education methods aimed at preventing disaster-related deaths and to promote the creation of a support system based on the concept of a symbiotic society. To this end，a disaster support staff training course was held for students，which explained the knowledge and skills of disaster-related death prevention in an easy-to-understand manner. From the reflections and questionnaires after the course，the changes in students’ awareness and the effectiveness of the course were confirmed. As a result，many of the students understood the current situation of disaster- related deaths and preventive measures and began to think about what they could do. In addition，from the reflections of those who answered that they could not act，it became clear that it was difficult to act on things that they were not good at，but they wanted to overcome their weaknesses and were also able to come up with ways to respond positively. The students understood the importance of disaster-related death prevention and recognized the need to prepare in peacetime and deepen relationships with neighbors and work together. Furthermore，they realized that it is necessary to create an evacuation environment where everyone，including those with special needs，can feel safe and secure. The DSS training provided useful suggestions for considering the form of a support system with an eye toward building a symbiotic society.

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This study examined structural changes in residents’ welcoming attitudes toward inbound tourists and intercultural acceptance before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ine Town, northern Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. Using multi-group covariance structure analysis of survey data collected in 2018 and 2022, this research investigated changes in residents’attitudes according to attributes such as residence area (tourism vs. non-tourism areas), length of residence, occupation, gender, and age group. The novel aspect of this study lies in its focus on comparing these structural relationships across different attributes before and during the pandemic. Results indicated that, when correcting for multiple comparisons, statistically significant changes were not found in residents’ welcoming attitudes toward inbound tourists or intercultural acceptance in most groups. However, among long-term residents (over 10 years), women, and residents employed in non-tourism-related occupations, the perceived positive effects of inbound tourism on place attachment and life satisfaction significantly increased during the pandemic. This suggests that positive impacts from tourism, such as increased place attachment and improved life satisfaction, were particularly pronounced among residents with deeper ties to the local community. Additionally, residents in tourism areas or engaged in tourism-related occupations maintained relatively stable levels of intercultural acceptance and welcoming attitudes across both survey periods. In contrast, those living in non-tourism areas or working outside the tourism sector showed differences in their levels of acceptance. Based on these findings, this study proposes policy initiatives tailored to local contexts and residents’ attributes, such as redistributing tourism revenues to non- tourism areas, organizing small-scale intercultural events, and creating opportunities for tourists to participate in cultural conservation activities. These measures could foster mutually beneficial relationships between residents and tourists in local tourism policy. Nonetheless, as this research is based on a specific case study of Ine Town, further comparative studies involving other regions, along with evaluations of the sustainability of residents’ attitudes after the pandemic subsides, remain necessary.

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