This research examined how the alien species, apple snail （Jumbo-Tanishi）, which causes agricultural damage, is related to each actor in various social fields as actors, and how different social fields are related to each other through them. The survey was conducted on three social fields: ornamental fish industry, agriculture, and agrochemical industry.
Invasive characteristics of Jumbo-Tanishi are regarded as threats in the fields of biology and agriculture. Nevertheless, in the Japanese legal system, there are no measures to prevent or control expansion of them. Therefore, Jumbo-Tanishi does not currently act as actor that causes some action to take place in the social field of national level administration. However, in the field of biology and agronomy, people still watch them carefully. It can be said that Jumbo-Tanishi is drawing out an action from the fields that regards distribution in the aquarium industry of its closely related species as a problem.
In addition, even in the fields of agriculture where the relationship between Jumbo-Tanishi and people tends to be consolidated simply, the relationship is complex in view of the individual cases. Various elements in the area of agriculture such as the environment in which Jumbo-Tanishi lives, and the policies that affect on these place, and the patch-like farmland ownership based on customs are intertwined and damage occurs. Furthermore, Jumbo-Tanishi does not cause damage on rice if farmers manage the paddy fields, but instead on weed. In addition, it is difficult to eradicate these snails. Human actors may take the option of utilizing Jumbo-Tanishi as actors. However, farmers often use pesticides to control Jumbo-Tanishi. Among the pesticides used for this, there are those specific to Jumbo-Tanishi. These developments are related to the role of the snails as actors, which are widespread as pests throughout the world.
In this way, Jumbo-Tanishi is incorporated into various social fields, sometimes acting as an actor toward human actors. However, as in the past, lots of studies have been carried out with a strong emphasis on aspects of alien species causing adverse effects on ecosystems and industry, so few studies have been carried out to capture them as social entities. Furthermore, measures have been considered in preference to species that have a large impact on ecosystems. As a result, while Jumbo-Tanishi are concerned as actors in ecosystems, establishing measures to coping with them is delayed compared to alien fish and alien mammals. However, as in the human society, all living beings are weaved as goods and icons, there is a great possibility that alien living beings are also incorporated into the society and, in some cases, acting as actors on the human side. Jambo-tanisi in this study is one of them.
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