Vol. 77 No. 4 (2025)
Contents
Articles
TOYOTA Hiroko
The Polysemy of Hydrogen Cyanide Gas Fumigation in Modern Citrus-Producing Areas:
Diachronic and Regional Differences in Agricultural Technology (407)
MATSUKI Shunya
Forming a Landscape of Infrastructure Incorporating “Nature”: A Case Study of the Historical Sabo Facilities of the Ushibuse River, Nagano Prefecture (431)
Focus
YAMADA Kousuke and YOSHIDA Kunimitsu
Diffusion of Small-scale Multifunctional Self-governments Through a Regional Management Organization in Nanto, Toyama Prefecture, Japan: A Focus on Regional Differences in Activities (457)
Book Review (480)
Meeting Report (482)
Activity Reports and Renewal Proposals of Study Groups (484)
Miscellany (498)
Announcement for Proposals for Regular Meetings in 2026 (503)
Notices (504)
Index (505)
Abstract
The Polysemy of Hydrogen Cyanide Gas Fumigation in Modern Citrus-Producing Areas:
Diachronic and Regional Differences in Agricultural Technology
TOYOTA Hiroko
Faculty of Economics, Chiba Keizai University
This paper examines the diachronic and regional differences in scientific agricultural technologies introduced to modern Japan and clarifies its polysemy in regions. It also proposes a methodological approach to the geography of science that considers a broad spatial scale. The paper focuses on hydrogen cyanide gas fumigation and its development in citrus-producing regions in relation to cultivation and distribution trends. In the 1910s, fumigation was introduced to citrus-producing areas as a means of pest control. In the 1920s, farmers and agronomists discovered that use of pesticides could improve citrus fruit quality; for example, producing greater sweetness and aesthetically pleasing coloring. Fumigation was initially recommended in winter to avoid chemical damage to the citrus trees. However, reducing the time investment associated with fumigation and improving the quality of fruit produce were prioritized over avoiding damage, which led to the recommendation of summer fumigation. Hiroshima Prefecture has undergone fumigation in both winter and summer while engaging in mandarin orange production with an emphasis on quality and the objective of sale to the Tokyo market. Among the various production areas, Hiroshima Prefecture was a later entrant to production; the region has a warm climate that easily discolors the skin of fruit, and the minimal precipitation it receives contributes to the sensitivity of produce to quality changes owing to use of pesticides. The significance of the agricultural technology of fumigation has differed diachronically and regionally due to socioeconomic and natural conditions.
This study shows that fumigation is a polysemous agricultural technology.
Key words: historical geography of science, geography of technology, agricultural technology, polysemy,
quality improvement, Hiroshima Prefecture
Forming a Landscape of Infrastructure Incorporating “Nature”:
A Case Study of the Historical Sabo Facilities of the Ushibuse River, Nagano Prefecture
MATSUKI Shunya
Heian Jogakuin (St. Agnes’) University; Graduate Student, Graduate School of Literature and Human Science, Osaka Metropolitan University
This study analyzes the transformation of the natural environment and landscape, which has affected and has been affected by the registration and designation of the historical sabo facilities as cultural properties, with special reference to the case of the Ushibuse River, Nagano Prefecture. Drawing on “infrastructure” research in science, technology and society (STS) and anthropology, the study considers how the preservation of these facilities has made the nature-infrastructure-human relationship surrounding the sabo facilities visible, a connection that had previously received limited attention. Amid growing criticism of public works projects, the national government strategically created an aesthetic of “functional beauty” and promoted the registration of sabo facilities as cultural properties. In the Ushibuse River area, local governments and residents have changed the nature and landscape in their own ways to address the infrastructure crisis caused by the overgrowth of non-native species an issue that presupposes the agency of nature. They have eliminated non-native species and protected native species, thereby (re)constructing “nature.” In the process of constructing a landscape of infrastructure that incorporates nature, nature and humans jointly shaped a hybrid assemblage of social nature and infrastructure. This study makes a significant contribution toward visualizing the complex relationships among nature, infrastructure, and humans.
Key words: sabo, infrastructural inversion, (re)construction of “nature”, multi-stepped channel works of the Ushibuse River
Diffusion of Small-scale Multifunctional Self-governments Through a Regional Management Organization in Nanto, Toyama Prefecture, Japan:
A Focus on Regional Differences in Activities
YAMADA Kousuke
Toyama Prefectural Tonami Special Support School
YOSHIDA Kunimitsu*
Rissho University
This study was performed in the city of Nanto, Toyama Prefecture to examine the small-scale multifunctional self-governments present in all the city localities (communities). The analysis focused on the structure and current status of the Regional Management Organization (RMO), as well as projects implemented by Councils, to consider the roles played by the RMO in community self-government.
The results showed that the RMO has been streamlined through various approaches. “Community Centers” were renamed as “Community Exchange Centers.” These Centers are located in Nanto within geographical ranges corresponding to former elementary schools. Furthermore, the unification of organizations led to changes in the number of personnel involved in community development and increased the number of people performing concurrent jobs across different divisions and sections.
The city government has also played a central role in establishing a system to promote small-scale, multifunctional self-government in Nanto. The 31 administrative districts of the city have their unique local community conditions. Although all districts operate under the same administrative system, a variety of governance systems exist. Some communities have identified issues specific to their districts, successfully “fully mobilized” local residents, and actively engaged in community development. In contrast, other districts have exhibited only minimal levels of resident-led governance.
Key words: aging population, regional management organization, small-scale multifunctional self-government, municipal amalgamation, Nanto City