Message from the Prseident

Takashi Tange　

The Foundation of Agricultural Sciences of Japan (FASJ; public interest incorporated foundation) was founded in 1887, at the dawn of modern agricultural science in Japan, as the first academic society related to agricultural science, and has been involved in the promotion of education and research in agricultural science in Japan for more than 130 years. The foundation became an incorporated foundation in 1932 and shifted to a public interest incorporated foundation in April 2012 under the new Public Interest Incorporated Foundation Law.

    The purpose of FASJ is to contribute to the improvement of human welfare by promoting research and education about agricultural sciences in cooperation with related research and educational organizations, and academic societies, and to promote the continuous development of agriculture, forestry and fisheries. Specifically, FASJ conducts activities such as awarding research achievements of young scientists, promoting engineering education in the field of agricultural science under the Engineering Education Program of the Japan Accreditation Board for Engineering Education (JABEE), and disseminating and enlightening the scientific information on agricultural sciences by sponsoring biannual public symposia and co-sponsoring or supporting academic lecture meetings held by related organizations.

    Public symposiums organized over the past three years include "Toward a Sustainable Food System", "Organic Agriculture Today and Tomorrow: Contribution to a Sustainable Society" (FY2021), "Family Farmers' Insatiable Challenge and Regional Development", "Fighting Viruses in Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries" (FY2020), and “Food, Agriculture, and Rural Communities Transformed by ICT” (FY2019). We have been actively disseminating scientific information on the contributions of the agricultural sciences, which are responsible for food production, to the construction of a sustainable society, as represented by the international efforts for SDGs. Since the pandemic of COVID-19 from early 2020, it has become difficult to hold the symposium at the venue, and the symposium is now being held online, making it possible for people in remote areas to join the symposium. Even if it becomes possible to hold the event at a venue in the future, we will continue to make efforts to disseminate information to as many people as possible by using online viewing as well.

    In recent years, climate change has become more apparent with the frequent occurrence of abnormal weather events. The global system, which is composed of living organisms and the environment, faces many issues that must be urgently addressed in order to establish a sustainable society, including food, environment, and energy. The role of agricultural science is increasingly becoming important. FASJ will contribute to improving human welfare by deepening cooperation with society and by promoting research and education in agricultural sciences without limiting ourselves to conventional frameworks.