Japan Geoscience Union Meeting 2021

Presentation information

[J] Oral

U (Union ) » Union

[U-06] Science Council of Japan in one hour: How it supports international organizations

Thu. Jun 3, 2021 1:45 PM - 3:15 PM Ch.01 (Zoom Room 01)

convener:Nobuko Saigusa(National Institute for Environmental Studies), Takuji Nakamura(National Institute of Polar Research), Shigeko Haruyama(Mie University .Emeritus Prof.), Eiichi Tajika(Department of Earth and Planetary Science, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo), Chairperson:Takuji Nakamura(National Institute of Polar Research), Nobuko Saigusa(National Institute for Environmental Studies)

2:35 PM - 2:40 PM

[U06-10] Activities of INQUA (International Union for Quaternary Research) and Contributions from Japan

*Yoshiki Saito1 (1.Estuary Research Center, Shimane University)

Keywords:INQUA, Chibanian, Anthropocene, Global Change

INQUA (International Union for Quaternary Research) was established in 1928 by a group of scientists seeking to improve understanding of environmental change during the glacial ages through interdisciplinary research. Currently, INQUA is the representative body for Quaternary science world-wide. The basic goal of INQUA is to promote improved communication and international collaboration in basic and applied aspects of Quaternary research. An in-depth knowledge of global developments during the past 2.58 million years (the Quaternary geological period) provides the essential template for assessing the significance of current and predicted global environmental changes and natural disasters. INQUA’s goal is achieved mainly through the activities of the five Commissions: CMP: Coastal & Marine Processes, HABCOM: Humans & Biosphere, PALCOM: Paleoclimates, SACCOM: Stratigraphy & Chronology, TERPRO: Terrestrial Processes, Deposits & History. INQUA also encourages Early Career Research (ECR) activities, which provide an information gateway between young (early-career) and the senior scientists and scientific networks. INQUA supports projects contributing to the development of Quaternary science worldwide through Commissions and ECR activities. INQUA Congress is held every four years. The next Congress will be held in Rome in 2023.
Japan National Committee for INQUA was established in 1955, under the Science Council of Japan. The representative from Japan participated in INQUA Congress since 1957. Japan has been contributing key members to Executive Committee and Commissions since then. The 19th INQUA Congress was successfully held in Nagoya in 2015, hosted by the Science Council of Japan, with 1789 participants from 68 countries. One of most prominent achievements from Japan to INQUA and Quaternary science is the Middle Pleistocene “Chibanian” of GSSPs, resulting from long-lasting Quaternary research in Japan for the last several decades.