Research

Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU), Japan

The field of environmental studies is expanding and developing rapidly, together with international and global policies, mitigation measures, and new problem-solving mechanisms. The researchers in this field need to have the most up-to-date knowledge, to learn new necessary research skills, and to open their minds to new ideas and disciplines. Across the three Colleges at APU, there are well-established researchers who conduct research activities in various areas of environmental studies.

ESC encourages cross-college exchange of intellectual ideas related to environmental issues, which are becoming one of the toughest obstacles to achieving “peace and humanity” worldwide (one of APU's aims as a university). According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the number of people forcibly displaced worldwide is at a record high. This is also due to climate change, natural disasters, and conflicts often related to resource shortages.

We actively learn from each other, different disciplines and sectors, to put our efforts together to "escape" serious issues of the humanities.

Hiromi Yamashita, PhD.
Director of Environmental Studies Center (ESC)
Ji Han, PhD.
Deputy Director of Environmental Studies Center (ESC)

The key objectives of this center are:

1. Creating a research community & faculty development:

To create an intellectually stimulating and friendly environment where the participating members of staff can exchange their ideas and up-to-date information to enhance their research abilities further.

2. Conducting outreach activities:

To showcase the environmental research work happening across the APU to the wider world.

3. Conducting social contribution activities:

To respond to the needs of outside organizations to utilize the expertise existing at APU (e.g. local and national governments, NPOs).

4. Fostering student development:

To provide opportunities for APU students, especially graduate school students, to encounter interesting and varied thinking happening at the university.

5. Developing interdisciplinary project ideas:

To investigate seeds for future collaborative work among the members, and encourage those seeds to flower by obtaining external funding.

Current ESC members

List of the selected publications by the members

Reynolds, S.A., Beery, S., Burgess, N., Burgman, M., Butchart, S.H., Cooke, S.J., Coomes, D., Danielsen, F., Di Minin, E., Durán, A.P., Gassert, F., Hinsley, A., Jaffer, S., Jones, J.P.G., Li, B.V., Aodha, O.M., Madhavapeddy, A., O'Donnell, S.A.L., Oxbury, W.M., Peck, L., Pettorelli, N., Rodriquez, J.P., Shuckburgh, E., Strassburg, B., Yamashita, H., Miao, Z., Sutherland, W.J. (2025). The potential for AI to revolutionize conservation: a horizon scan, Trends in Ecology & Evolution. February: Pages 191-207.

Yamashita, H. (2023). Just transition through “commoning” coastal wetlands in growing and shrinking communities in Japan. Sustainable Science, 18, 2135-2149.

Uwasu, M., Hara, K., Kuroda, M., and Han, J. (2024) Assessing the Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Environmental Sustainability in China. Sustainability, 16(13), 5322-5322.

Hu, J., Miao, L., Han, J., Zhou, W., and Qian, X. (2024) Waste separation behavior with a new plastic category for the plastic resource circulation: Survey in Kansai, Japan. Journal of Environmental Management. 349, 119370-119370.

Song, A.Y. and Cheung, H. (2024) Seizing a venue linking opportunity: China's strategy to advance its sea cucumber interests in global environmental governance. Marine Policy, 169, 106345.

Cheung, H., Song, A.Y., Di Marco, M. and Biggs, D. (2024) Policy diffusion in global biodiversity conservation: Learning, competition, coercion, and emulation amidst US-China great-power politics. Conservation Letters, 17(4), e13026.

Gómez, O.A., Lucatello, S. & Mena, R. (2024) The Latin American experience: inequality's role in shaping humanitarianism. Handbook on Humanitarianism and Inequality, Edward Elgar Publishing, 458-473.

Simon, D., Gómez, O.A., Gasper, D., Bennett, K., Washbourne, C.L., Abasli, I., Mukhtarov, F., Dias, S. & Sarkar, A. (2023) Global social challenges for development studies in the Crisis in the Anthropocene. Global Social Challenges Journal, 2(2), 229-246.

Jones, T. E. (2024) Visitors’ Willingness to Pay for Protected Areas: A New Conservation Donation in Aso Kuju National Park. Conservation, 4(2), 201-215.

Jones, T. E. (2023) Natural World Heritage Sites in Asia: A Review of IUCN’s Outlook Assessment Reports 2014–2020, Global Environmental Research, 27(2), 111-117.

González, T., Berger, P., Sánchez, C. N., & Mahichi, F. (2023). Sustainability of Urban Parks: Applicable Methodological Framework for a Simple Assessment. Sustainability, 15(21), 15262.

Dziedzic M., Rodrigues Gomes P., Angilella, M., El Asli A., Berger, P. Charmier A. J., Chen Y., Dasanayake R., Dziedzic R., Ferro F., Huising D., Knaus M., Mahichi, F., Rachidi F., Rocha C., Smith K., and Tsukada S. (2022). International circular economy strategies and their impacts on agricultural water use. Cleaner Engineering and Technology, 8, 100504.

Sugiyama, M., Fujimori, S., Wada, K., Kato, E., Matsuo, Y., Nishiura, O, Oshiro, K. and Otsuki, T. (2024). Residual emissions and carbon removal towards Japan's net-zero goal: a multi-model analysis. Environmental Research Communications, 6, 051008.

Otsuki, T., Shibata, Y., Matsuo, Y., Obane, H. and Morimoto, S. (2024). Role of carbon dioxide capture and storage in energy systems for net-zero emissions in Japan. International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, 132, 104065.

Ohashi, H. (2023) Contrasts in suburban decline: A tale of three key outer suburban "Business Core Cities" in Tokyo Metropolis. Urban Geography, 44(1), 149-177.

Ohashi,H., Phelps, N.A., and Tomaney, J. (2022) Between decentralization and recentralization: Conflicts in intramunicipal and intermunicipal governance in Tokyo's shrinking suburbs. Urban Planning, 7(3), 98-114.

Pham, L. T., Kumar, P., Dahana, W. D., and Nguyen, H. D. (2024) Advancing sustainable development through planetary health–A holistic approach to global health: A systematic review. Environmental Science & Policy, 155, 103709.

Duc, N. H., Kumar, P., Pham, L. T., Meraj, G., Lan, P. P., Almazroui, M., and Avtar, R. (2024) A systematic review of water governance in Asian countries: Challenges, frameworks, and pathways toward sustainable development goals. Earth Systems and Environment, 8(2), 181-205.

Sanada, K. and Kuwatsuka, K. (2024) Negotiation of strategic distance: A smart city project with Japanese official development assistance in Bang Sue, Thailand. International Quarterly for Asian Studies, 55(1), 93-115.

Sanada, K. (2023) A short history of social inequality studies in modern Japan. In. Surinder, S. J. and Rehbein, B. (eds)(2023). Global handbook of inequality. Springer International Publishing. pp.1-29.

King, P., Elder, M. and Shigemoto, A. (2018) Business and SDGs: Raising the level of ambition. IN. Elder, M. and King, P. (eds) Realising the transformative potential of the SDGs. Institute for Global Environmental Strategies. pp. 107-126.

Elder, M., Shigemoto, A. and King, P. (2018) Transforming finance and investment for the SDGs. IN. Elder, M. and King, P. (eds) Realising the transformative potential of the SDGs. Institute for Global Environmental Strategies. pp. 127-150.

Usui, R., Sheeran L.K., Asbury, A.M., & Pedersen, L. (2024) Building resilience in primate tourism: insights from the COVID-19 pandemic and future directions. Primates, 65, 191–201.

Maréchal, L., McKinney, T., Usui, R. and Hill, C. M. (2024) Human-Wildlife Interaction, Routledge.

Artis, A. M., Sugiyama M., Chen Y. C., Ju, Y. and Yamaura, K. (2024) Public Perception of Carbon Dioxide Removal in Three Asian Regions. Sustainability Science, 1-16.

Yamaura, K., Xu, S., Sugiyama, M. and Ju, Y. (2024) Public perceptions on net zero energy houses in Japan, Sustainability Science, 1-14.