The Mammal Society of Japan has its origin in the “Nihon Honyu-Dobutsu Gakkai” [=Mammalogical Society of Japan], founded in 1923, and celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2023. The year 2024 marks the 101st year of the Society and the beginning of a new century.

Japan is home to a wide variety of mammals, both terrestrial and marine. Japan is long from north to south, from Hokkaido in the north to Okinawa in the south and is made up of many islands and high mountains. Focusing on this diversity, members of the Mammal Society of Japan are engaged in a variety of studies, including taxonomy, phylogeny, morphology, genetics, evolution, physiology, ecology, behavior, and conservation and management, as well as interdisciplinary research across such fields. The society contributes to the advancement of biological sciences from basic science to applied science by studying not only mammals living in the field but also those kept in zoos and aquariums. We also conduct international joint research with other countries, especially in Asia, to elucidate the diversity, evolution, and ecology of mammals in Japan.

In addition to well-known mammals such as deer, bears, monkeys, serows, wild boars, raccoon dogs, and weasels, many mammal species, including rodents, moles, bats, whales, and seals inhabit each terrestrial or marine region and form the biodiversity of that region. Some of them are threatened with extinction and need to be protected. In Japan, damage to agriculture, forestry, and humans caused by deer, bears, monkeys, serows, and wild boars, as well as the impact of invasive alien species on the ecosystem, have become social problems in recent years.

Many of the studies conducted by the Mammal Society of Japan are based on continuous surveys that focus on temporal changes from the past to the present and from the present to the future. In order to accurately capture temporal changes in wildlife populations and distribution, it is necessary not only to make effective use of past data and specimens, but also to foster research personnel who can play an active role in the future. The Mammal Society of Japan is expected to play a major role in fostering such a sustainable research base. The Mammal Society of Japan will also be actively involved in disseminating knowledge and the latest results on mammalogy to society.

Together with our society members, we hope to promote research exchange in mammalogy that transcends national and generational boundaries, based on research conducted at the forefront of our research community, the Mammal Society of Japan. We also hope that the general public will take some interest in the diversity of mammals in Japan and their current status, and we would very much appreciate your support for our society, including participation in the public symposia held by the Mammal Society of Japan. Thank you very much.

September 2024

President of the Mammal Society of Japan
Masaharu Motokawa