Japanese Society of Snow and Ice

Japanese Society of Snow and Ice
Name	Japanese Society of Snow and Ice
Founded	1933
Headquarters	Tokyo, Japan
Fields	Cryospheric science, glaciology, snow mechanics

Japanese Society of Snow and Ice is a scholarly association in Japan dedicated to the study of snow, ice, and related cryospheric processes. The society brings together researchers from universities, national institutes, and local observatories to coordinate studies on seasonal snow, glacier dynamics, permafrost, and ice engineering. It interacts with international bodies and national agencies to support applied research in hazard mitigation, infrastructure, and climate science.

History

The society was founded in 1933 during a period of expanded scientific organization in Japan alongside institutions such as University of Tokyo, Hokkaido University, Kyoto University, Tohoku University, and Nagoya University. Early membership included scientists linked to Geological Survey of Japan, National Institute of Polar Research, Japan Meteorological Agency, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (Japan), and regional observatories in Hokkaidō and Tohoku. Postwar reconstruction saw collaboration with international programs like the International Geophysical Year, International Glaciological Society, Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research, and World Meteorological Organization. The society’s evolution mirrored developments at agencies such as Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and research centers including Research Institute for Humanity and Nature and National Institute for Environmental Studies.

Organization and Membership

Membership spans academics and practitioners affiliated with institutions like Osaka University, Kobe University, Nagaoka University of Technology, Kanazawa University, University of Tsukuba, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Rikkyo University, and municipal research centers in Sapporo and Niigata. Institutional members include the Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry, East Japan Railway Company, West Japan Railway Company, and local governments such as Hokkaido Prefecture and Niigata Prefecture. The society maintains committees for editorial oversight, field logistics, student affairs, and international liaison with entities such as International Arctic Science Committee, International Permafrost Association, and the Global Cryosphere Watch.

Objectives and Activities

The society’s objectives parallel those of regional and international organizations by promoting research into snow mechanics, avalanche forecasting, glacier monitoring, and ice engineering. It supports projects connected to Japan Sea Coastal Science, Shirakami-Sanchi, Aomori Prefecture community resilience, and infrastructure resilience used by East Nippon Expressway Company Limited. Activities include training for professionals working on projects by Japan Railways Group, disaster risk reduction collaborations with Cabinet Office (Japan), and joint ventures with the Japan Society for Hydrology and Water Resources and Japan Association for Natural Disaster Science.

Publications and Journals

The society publishes peer-reviewed journals and bulletins read by researchers from institutions including University of British Columbia, Stockholm University, University of Alaska Fairbanks, University of Oslo, and University of Cambridge. Its publications appear alongside work cited in journals from Nature Communications, Journal of Glaciology, Cryosphere, Annals of Glaciology, and regional outlets associated with the Japan Sea Forum. Editorial boards often include scholars connected to Scott Polar Research Institute, Alfred Wegener Institute, University Centre in Svalbard, and university presses such as Cambridge University Press and Springer Science+Business Media.

Conferences and Symposia

Annual meetings and symposia are hosted in collaboration with universities and observatories, featuring sessions with delegates from United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research, and national agencies like the Ministry of the Environment (Japan). Past venues have included conference centers near Niseko, Hakuba, Sapporo, and Niigata City with keynote participants from Columbia University, Princeton University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, and University of Copenhagen. Joint workshops have been organized with the International Association of Hydrological Sciences and the World Glacier Monitoring Service.

Research and Fieldwork

Field programs range from seasonal snowpack measurement campaigns in Hokkaidō and Honshū to glacier mass-balance studies in the Japanese Alps, conducted with partners such as Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition, Antarctic Treaty Secretariat, National Institute of Polar Research, and international teams from Mawson Station and McMurdo Station. The society coordinates instrumentation trials involving borehole thermistors, ground-penetrating radar, and remote sensing platforms tied to Advanced Land Observing Satellite, GCOM-W (Global Change Observation Mission - Water), and collaborations with JAXA. Projects often engage engineers from Shimizu Corporation, Kajima Corporation, and governmental bodies involved in avalanche control like Japan Meteorological Agency field offices.

Awards and Recognition

The society confers prizes and medals patterned after honors in academic societies, recognizing early-career researchers, lifetime achievement, and outstanding field campaigns. Recipients frequently hold positions at institutions such as Hokkaido University, University of Tsukuba, Tohoku University, University of Tokyo, and international affiliations with University of Alberta, University of New Hampshire, National Snow and Ice Data Center, and Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Award ceremonies are held during annual meetings alongside partnerships with foundations like the Japan Science and Technology Agency and corporate sponsors from the construction and transportation sectors.

Category:Scientific societies based in Japan Category:Cryospheric research