The new meta-logic governing the creation of waterside environment is to minimize the distance between human five senses and the water in the waterside environment, which is composed of geo-, eco-and socio-environments, where people enjoy with the water. Therefore, regional residents must play a main role in the planning process for creation of waterside environment. In this paper, this process is described as follows. Firstly, survey analysis on geo-, eco-and socio-environments is executed and a 'Synthetic Karte' on each waterside environment is made. Secondly, design criteria for waterside planning is made, being based on especially children'sperception and desire. Thirdly, two hypothesis are introduced, i, e., (1) the better the waterside environment is improved, the more the number of residents who have good impression on waterside increases; (2) the more the residents like waterside, the shorter the psychological distance becomes than physical distance to waterside; the larger the marginal distance becomes, which is the farthest distance between waterside and a resident who comes there. Examining these hypothesis, a ground design on waterside is shown. Finally, it is shown that economic valuation on waterside environment is valid only in the case where it is caluculated for each alternative plan for waterside environment.

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Environmental policies have recently been designed to reduce the quantity of solid waste disposal and to stimulate recycling . In Japan, the Containers and Packaging Recycling Law was enacted to promote recycling of containers and packaging materials, which account for more than 40 % of the total volume of municipal solid waste. Under this legislation, municipalities have to bear the collection costs, which are a large part of the total recycling costs . In response, the Tokyo government has attempted to establish 'voluntary collection' systems, which require business sectors using packaging materials to bear the costs for voluntary collection. The authors analyze how much the social welfare loss in voluntary collection systems differs from that in municipal collection systems, using a partial equilibrium model of PET bottle recycle scheme as a case study . The simulated results show that annual welfare loss of a voluntary collection system is 785 yen per capita, exceeding that of municipal collection systems by approximately 700 yen . Further, the long-term equilibrium of these recycling systems is considered by applying transaction cost theory. Considering the magnitude of transaction costs when municipal collection costs are subsumed into the price of products, we predict that voluntary collection systems will realize optimal results in the longer term.

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The authors characterized a enzyme that is responsible for (γ-EC)_nG synthesis in rice root and it was confirmed that at least one of the (γ-EC)_nG synthases in the rice root may be carboxypeptidase (CPase). We examined the ability of CPases in vitro to (γ-EC)_nG synthesis and to confirm that CPase in rice plant have the ability to synthesis (γ-EC)_nG. The structural gene of the rice CPase was ligated to the expression vector, transformed into E. coli and expressed. All of the CPase (CPase W, Y, and A) were examined synthesized having ability to (γ-EC)₂G in vitro. On the contrary, none of the aminopeptidase synthesize it examined in this study. The specific inhibitor of CPase inhibited (γ-EC)₂G synthesis. The optimum pHs of the synthesis with each CPase are the same as optimum pHs for the hydrolytic activity of the respective enzymes. The (γ-EC)_nG synthesis activity was increased through CPase gene transformation E. coli. These results suggest that at least one of the (γ-EC)_nG synthases is CPase.

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In order to estimate the cloud water deposition to canopies of Cryptomeria japonica, both throughfall measurements and fog water collection by automated active collectors were carried out in parallel for over one year at two altitudes (670 m and 800m) of Mt. Rokko in Kobe. Annual fog frequency was 11.5-15.5% and average liquid water content was 0.059g/m³. At Mt. Rokko orographic cloud occurred frequently when relative humidity was over 80%. Significant correlations were found between the cloud water deposition to thesecanopies and the amounts of fog water collected. It was shown that the cloud water deposition could be quantitatively estimated from throughf all measurements under the forest canopies. Cloud water deposition to canopies of C. japonica was 1420-2860 mm/year, which corresponded to 89-179% of the annual rainfall amount. The rate was higher at the mountain ridge and at the forest edge and gap than those at the mountain side or valley and at the interior of forest. Cloud water SO₄^2-, NO₃^-, H⁺ and NH₄⁺ deposition were estimated to be 204, 153, 2.5 and 58 kg/ha? year, respectively and contributed 5.8-11.7 times the chemical deposition via rain. These values are equal to or exceed the maximum deposition reported from Appalachian forests in the eastern United States. Dry deposition of S0₄^2- was 22% of the total deposition and corresponded to 33% of the cloud water deposition at this mountain. As a result of multiple regression analyses between cloud water deposition to Cryptomeria canopies and three parameters, i. e. cloud frequency, LWC and wind velocity (during warm season), the cloud water deposition was found to be significantly correlated to these three parameters. These results indicated that the cloud water deposition to canopies was controlled by the above three parameters.

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