Outline
The Japan Association for Quaternary Research (JAQUA) was formed in 1956 from the Japanese branch of the International Union for Quaternary Research (INQUA). JAQUA devoted to the study of the Quaternary period, the last 2.6 million years with the goal of understanding the recent past to better comprehend current and near future environmental processes. JAQUA currently has approximately 1,000 members including geologists, geographers, paleontologists, zoologists, botanists, soil scientists, anthropologists, archeologists, geophysicists, geochemists, engineers, and others interested in Quaternary studies.
Through its interdisciplinary nature, JAQUA provides a forum for interaction between researchers with varied specialties and encourages increased collaboration. Individual researchers have the opportunity to deepen their understanding of related fields, often with groundbreaking results.
From fiscal year 2017, JAQUA shifted research focus to five specific frontiers: 1) Palaeoclimate and Marine Processes, 2) Terrestrial Processes, Deposits and History, 3) Stratigraphy and Chronological Criteria, 4) Human and Biosphere, and 5) Contribution of Quaternary Science to a General Public and Present Society, collaboration between researchers in each of these sections is promoted through workshops and lectures.
Research Sections and Related Keywords
| Section | Explanation | Keywords |
| Section 1: Palaeoclimate and Marine Processes | Emphasis on climate change, sea level change and ocean change. A wide range of topics from global themes to local phenomena. | Climate change, sea level change, atmospheric circulation, ocean circulation, glaciers / ice sheets, ocean oxygen isotope ratios, earth orbital variability, seabed / coast topography and sediment |
| Section 2: Terrestrial Processes, Deposits and History | Emphasis on phenomena and mechanisms near the surface of the earth, such as terrain formation processes and tectonics. | Landform development, paleo-earthquake, eruption history, tectonic movement, glacial landforms, lakes, rivers, groundwater, soil |
| Section 3: Stratigraphy and Chronological Criteria | Emphasis on temporal and stratigraphic relationships and environmental change, understanding leads and lags, and improving dating methods. | Stratigraphy, age dating, stratigraphic correlation, widespread tephra, age proxies |
| Section 4: Humans and Biosphere | Emphasis on the impact of climate and environmental changes on humans and living organisms, as well as the dynamic interaction between humans, the biosphere, and the environment. | Paleoecology, animals, plants, biogeography, vegetation change, environmental adaptation, archeology, paleontology |
| Section 5: Contribution of Quaternary Science to a General Public and Present Society | Emphasis on how Quaternary science relates to present society. | Geology and geography education, nature and cultural heritage protection, geoparks, environmental issues, disaster, applied geology, engineering, earth surface, environmental modificationGeology and geography education, nature and cultural heritage protection, geoparks, environmental issues, disaster, applied geology, engineering, earth surface, environmental modification |