BULLETIN OF ASIAN GEOGRAPHY
		Like the United States, academic geography in Japan began about a hundred years ago. Around 1887, the study of geography began at the Imperial University of Japan in Tokyo, but it was not until much later that geography began to be taught as a specialized course. In 1907, the department of historical science and geography was established in the College of Literature, Kyoto Imperial University, and in 1911 the department of geography was set up in the College of Science, Tokyo Imperial University. Nagoya University, established in 1939 as one of the seven imperial universities, has developed a strong program in geography. Geography program is located on the main Higashiyama campus in a residential section of Nagoya City, while the School of Medicine and University Hospital are on Tsurumai campus about 2 and half miles west of the main campus. Nagoya City and its suburban area is the fourth largest in population and second in industrial production in Japan. Nagoya University has 3500 faculty in various departments and research institutes in addition to over 970 researchers from nearly all parts of the world. About eleven thousand undergraduates and six thousand graduate students are enrolled at the University. The Nagoya University Library has 2.7 million books (1.4 million in Japanese and Chinese and 1.3 million in foreign languages), and offers excellent facilities for geographic research. The geography program at Nagoya University offers Bachelor’s degree as well as M.A. and Ph.D. Master’s degree ( Shushi Chirigaku) is awarded to graduate students who have studied required subjects for more than two years; have earned more than 30 units of credit, and completed a thesis and passed required examinations. A Ph.D. degree (Hakusi Chirigaku) is granted to those who have studied more than five years (three years for those who have finished the master’s course), have presented an original thesis under faculty supervision, and have passed examinations for the degree. Since 1956 the program has awarded 19 doctoral degrees and 72 masters degree. The geography program at Nagoya University offers research and instruction in human as well as physical geography and regional geography. The major research fields of the current faculty are urban	geography, historical geography, behavioral geography, geomorphology, Quaternary research, GIS, and Asia. The boundaries between the traditional subdivisions are less well-defined at Nagoya , as links between the areas have strengthened in faculty and graduate student research and the development of important new tools, including modeling, GIS and remote sensing has created new foci. Full time faculty at present comprise Professor Masatomo Umitsu (geomorphology, riverine and coastal landform evolution, and late Quaternary Paleo-environment), Professor Tsunetoshi Mizoguchi (historical geography, regional studies in South Asia, and Core-periphery structure), Professor Kohei Okamoto (cognitive mapping, time-space geography, and urban structure), Professor Koji Ohnishi (behavioral geography and geographic education), and Professor Keiichi Okunuki (GIS, and urban planning). A key feature of geographic research at Nagoya is the ongoing ‘internationalization’ of research activity by graduate students and faculty. This is evident in several contexts, including the increasing importance of overseas study areas ( Korea Vietnam, Thailand, India, Bangladesh), the growth of collaborative involvement with scholars in the United States, China, Canada, Australia), and participation in international scientific programs and associated scientific activities. Nagoya physical geographer Umitsu has traditionally indulged his interests well beyond the home country and has, for example, made important contributions to research on Ganges Delta (Sedimentary Geology 80(1993): 177-186; Marine Geodesy, 20 (1997): 77-87; Tropics 6 (1997): 189-202); Coastal Thailand (Tropics 8 (1999):239-255 Tropics 8(1999): 317-328); and Coastal Oregon (The Holocene 8 (1998): 287-299). The evolution of riverine coastal plains and flood plains continue to attract considerable interest among students. Nagoya historical/cultural geographer Mizoguchi has international field research programs in the United States with Professor Skinner at UC-Davis and important work has been carried out on India (Markets and Marketing in North India, Nagoya University, 1991). Mizoguchi has also made major contributions to the historical geography of Japan (Geographical Review of Japan 69B: (1996): 21-41). Historical geography at Nagoya is producing exciting
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