The purpose of this study was to clarify regional characteristics of the ratio of visitors to school nurses’ offices triggered by heat stress at elementary and junior high schools throughout the city of Kumagaya. We also attempted to find a correlation between maximum temperature/humidity and the ratio of heat stress-triggered visitors to school nurses’ offices during school hours （8:00–18:00 JST）．The correlation of maximum humidity differences and the ratio of visitors to school nurses’ offices showed a higher value （r=0.43） than maximum temperature differences （r=－0.06）．There was a high ratio of visitors to school nurses’ offices in the northeast and southwestern parts of the city. The maximum temperature/humidity difference between these averages and the total （all-point） average was within the bias range, maximum temperature small differences in points. These places are rice-producing districts, positive humidity difference was seen in points in the city with high ratios of visitors to school nurses’ offices. In conclusion, while considering the bias of the hot environment index, the poor physical condition of students on visits to school nurses have to be considered by heat environment at every school site.

As symbolized by the phrase “den’en kaiki” （“return to rural living”）, the phenomenon of increasing migration from metropolitan to rural areas in Japan has drawn considerable attention. Although an apparent effect of initiatives implemented by different actors, including municipalities, the creation of “nariwai” （“livelihood” or “calling” with external effects） by migrants is well known, academic research on this issue is insufficient. In this article, which focuses on Tamba City, Hyogo prefecture, we detail start-up support activities based on new relationships between migrants and existing residents as well as official institutional support. We also examine mutual relationships between the nariwai of migrant-entrepreneurs and community development, which contribute to the essential creation of new activities in the entire region.

The purpose of this study was to clarify the latest trends in introducing naming rights （NR） for public facilities and to discuss them based on a nationwide survey of local governments. Another objective purpose of was to explore potential future geographic studies on NR. In Japan, budgetary issues led to the introduction of NR as part of advertising efforts to secure public−private collaboration and independent financial resources. However, the circumstances of NR introduction vary by region because of the types of public facilities owned by local governments and differences in the locations of corporations that could become sponsors. When a facility name is changed through NR agreement, the regional name is sometimes removed from the facility name. In addition, with the introduction of NR, there is no process for consensus building such as parliamentary approval. A collection of geographic studies on these issues, such as in the fields of economic geography, administrative geography, toponymy, political geography, and social geography, is desirable.

Yonaguni Island is located in the westernmost Ryukyu arc, where the geological setting extends to the Taiwan central range and the Luzon volcanic arc, along the subduction zone between the Eurasian and Philippine Sea plates. This paper reports the results of landform analyses based on the 10 m Digital Elevation Model and field observation at outcrops of three geosites. Miocene sandstone （Yaeyama Group） is broadly exposed on the island surface which forms low-altitude mountains and hills （maximum elevation 231 m）．Pleistocene limestone （Ryukyu Group） partly covers the Yaeyama Group and forms uplifted marine terraces composed mainly of coral reef sediments. This paper focuses on three geosites: Tindabana; Kubura-furishi; and Sanninu-dai. Tindabana is a cliff including unconformity of the Yaeyama Group sandstone and Ryukyu Group limestone, producing groundwater discharge, springs, and notches. Kubura-furishi is a rocky coast consisting of a shore platform and cliffs made of the Yaeyama Group sandstone forming remarkable tafoni. Sanninu-dai shows normal faults and many joints derived from horizontal stresses. These geosites indicate geomorphic processes in isolated island environments and suggest landform development in relation to back-arc tectonics. Yonaguni Island presents an interesting field for geotourism and border tourism in collaboration with Taiwan.

After a broad review of relevant fields of paranormal research, we analyzed how the ghost types and distribution patterns of haunted sites in Toyama have changed during the last 100 years. The targets consisted of paranormal sightings reported in 1） a newspaper series published in the 1910s and 2） information gathered in 2018 from online bulletin boards and ghost portal sites. The 114 sites were each georeferenced and their relative distribution trends were visualized by kernel density estimation and raster calculation （search radius, 8 km; output cell size, 300 m）．The most noticeable difference was the withdrawal from haunted sites in urban areas. Text analyses also revealed that both the diversity of paranormal beings and frequency of interactions with them was reduced in the 2018 materials.

The Republic of Croatia, located in the northwestern part of the Balkan Peninsula, became independent from the multiethnic state of Yugoslavia in 1991. Although more than 20 years have passed since the end of the armed conflict, Croatian officials are promoting a movement to reinforce memories of the war and transmit them to younger generations. The movement is especially popular in the city of Vukovar, once a site of violent clashes, where the ethnic Croatian population organizes various commemorative events and erects new monuments. Analysis of the symbolism of monuments and of the subjects depicted shows differences in attitudes toward the conflict at the local and national levels as well as between the national majority and minority populations. These differences clearly illustrate political double standards when it comes to the issue of national identity in Croatia, which joined the EU in 2013.

After surveying measures to ensure urban safety as presented in the Interim Report of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s Urban Planning Basic Problem Subcommittee, we examined the issues involved in the establishment of a Residential Promotion Area in the Urban Facility Location Plan, focusing on ensuring urban safety and based on the results of geographic research. Our findings showed that one issue is that areas with terrain at high risk of earthquake damage, such as old river channels, reclaimed land, and embankments, have not been recognized as hazardous areas. Promoting the use of topographic survey maps and preparation of related GIS data for establishing a Residential Promotion Area in the Urban Facility Location Plan is one solution that could contribute to ensuring urban safety.

There is concern about a decrease in the membership of academic societies in Japan. This study attempted to provide a quantitative overview of the current state of and recent changes in Japan’s academic societies using the Directory of Academic Societies in Japan. In this study, the societies were defined as associations designated by the Science Council of Japan. The results show that about two-thirds of such academic societies have fewer than 1,000 members and are small associations; this accounts for a large share, especially in the humanities and social sciences. In addition, during the past decade, individual membership has decreased in two-thirds of academic societies. This is particularly true among those with small- to medium-sized memberships, a long history of establishment, and in science and technology disciplines. In contrast, membership has increased in large associations and in the medical field. Although some academic societies closed, that number is considered small in comparison with that of newly established ones. In summary, the preservation of existing associations, selective increases/decreases in membership, and increases in newly established associations have simultaneously intersected and progressed. Since the decline in membership was more severe in associations connected with geography, the future role and function of such associations should be discussed while taking alliances and a reorganization of local academic societies into consideration.

Recently, in many regions of Japan, the significance of open-pollinated seeds gathered from traditional local vegetables has been more widely recognized, and seed exchange events are being held to ensure and conserve species variety. This article reports the features of a vegetable seed exchange event organized by the Tanenowa farmers’ network in the city of Hidaka, Saitama prefecture, and discusses the potential and challenges associated with such events. The participants came from various regions including mountains and plains in the area. Approximately half of the attendees were noncommercial farmers. This suggests that various plant species are collected and that the production of low-profit species is being protected. The vegetable species at the exchange originated from the open-pollinated seeds of traditional local vegetables. They are maintained for their advantageous characteristics, which include ease in planting, cuttage, and in-house seed saving. Moreover, I discovered several local vegetable species from the mountainous regions of the area which were previously unknown to me. It is concluded that vegetable seed exchange events make important, positive contributions to the protection and discovery of open-pollinated seeds of traditional local vegetables.