The Japanese Association for Rural Studies

About the Japanese Association for Rural Studies (SONKEN)

　The Japanese Association for Rural Studies is composed of members who study the social and economic structure, history, and culture of farming and fishing villages in order to develop village society and improve the well-being of its residents.
　We have studied the past, present, and future of farmers and family behavior patterns, settlements, groups and organizations, agricultural production and livelihood, and local culture and community welfare.

　We provide a forum for researchers and practitioners in sociology, economics, history, law, anthropology, folklore, lifestyle studies, and environmental studies to publish their research findings and interact with each other.

Purpose
　For the development of village society and the improvement of the well-being of its inhabitants, we study the social and economic structure, history, and culture of agricultural, mountainous, and fishing villages. It is an interdisciplinary academic society that analyzes and examines the past, present, and future of farmers and family behavior patterns, settlements, groups and organizations, agricultural production and livelihood, and local culture and community welfare.
　It provides a forum for researchers and practitioners in the fields of sociology, economics, history, law, anthropology, folklore, lifestyle studies, environmental studies, and the practical and pragmatic aspects of rural society to publish their research and practical results and to exchange and improve each other's work.

Academic Activities

Holding a research conference every fall
Publication of "Journal of Rural Society" (a.k.a. "Journal of Rural Studies") (twice a year)
Publication of the "Journal of Rural Society" (commonly known as the "Sonken Nenpou") (once a year)
Holding regional study groups in each region.
Awarding the "Japanese Association for Rural Studies Encouragement Prize".
Research exchange with other countries
Publishing "Kenkyu Tsushin" (research newsletter) three times a year.

Statutes of The Japanese Association for Rural Studies (JARS) [Tentative translation]

Approved 3 October 1993; Revised 16 October 1999; Revised 10 October 2003; Revised 13 November 2004; Revised 12 November 2005; Revised 1 November 2008; Revised 29 October 2011; Revised 11 November 2017; Revised 9 November 2019; Revised 6 November 2021; Revised 30 November 2024

Article 1 (Name and Location)
The organization shall be known as The Japanese Association for Rural Studies (JARS), commonly referred to as “Sonken.” The Association shall maintain its administrative office within the institution to which the Secretary-Treasurer belongs.

Article 2 (Purpose)
The Association, which succeeds the former “Association for Rural Society Studies,” is established for the purpose of promoting scholarly exchange among researchers in diverse fields concerned with rural society, providing an academic forum for the public dissemination of research outcomes, and advancing the study of rural society through the elucidation of issues arising within rural communities.

Article 3 (Activities)
The Association shall engage in the following activities:
1. Organization of annual conferences and research meetings.
2. Publication of research outcomes.
3. Scholarly exchange with related academic associations and institutions.
4. Other activities deemed necessary for the fulfillment of the Association’s objectives.

Article 4 (Membership Categories)
1. The Association shall comprise Individual Members, Institutional Members, Overseas Members, and Special Members. Regulations concerning Overseas Members and Special Members shall be separately stipulated.
2. Individual Members shall be entitled to attend conferences, research meetings, public lectures, and other assemblies of the Association; to present research therein; to submit manuscripts to the Association’s journals (Journal of Rural Studies (Sonken Journal) and the Annual Review of Rural Studies); to exercise voting rights at the General Assembly; and to receive the journal, newsletters, membership directory, and related publications. Institutional Members may attend the Association’s assemblies and shall receive the journal, newsletters, membership directory, and other publications.

Article 5 (Admission)
Persons desiring to join the Association must obtain approval of the Board of Directors.

Article 6 (Membership Dues)
Members shall pay the prescribed annual membership dues. In principle, any member who remains in arrears for a continuous period of three years shall forfeit membership status.

Article 7 (Withdrawal)
Members may withdraw from the Association upon submitting notification to the Board of Directors.

Article 8 (General Assembly)
The Ordinary General Assembly shall be convened once each year. Extraordinary General Assemblies may be convened by the President when deemed necessary following deliberation by the Board of Directors. The fiscal year of the Association shall commence in October and conclude in September of the following year.

Article 9 (Authority of the General Assembly)
The General Assembly shall constitute the highest decision-making body of the Association. Resolutions of the General Assembly shall be adopted by a majority vote of members present.

Article 10 (Officers)
The Association shall appoint Directors, President, Vice President, Secretary-General, Secretary-Treasurer, and Auditors. The Board of Directors, consisting of approximately twenty Directors, shall administer the affairs of the Association. The President shall represent and oversee the Association. The Vice President shall assist the President. The Secretary-General shall manage the Secretariat and administer the Association’s operations. The Secretary-Treasurer shall oversee financial affairs. Auditors shall conduct audits of the Association’s accounts.

Article 11 (Election and Appointment of Officers)
Directors and Auditors shall be elected at the General Assembly. The President and Vice President shall be elected by the Directors and subsequently reported to the General Assembly. The Secretary-General and Secretary-Treasurer shall serve concurrently as Directors.

Article 12 (Terms of Office)
The term of office for Directors shall be two years, and no individual shall serve for more than three consecutive terms. The term of office for the President shall be two years, and reappointment shall not be permitted. The term of office for the Secretary-General shall be two years.

Article 13 (Committees)
To carry out the activities stipulated in Article 3, the Association may establish various committees. Committee members shall be appointed by the President. Each committee shall be chaired by a Director.

Article 14 (Amendments to the Statutes)
Amendments to these Statutes may be proposed and submitted to the General Assembly by the Board of Directors or by one-fifth or more of the membership. Amendments shall require the approval of not less than two-thirds of the members present at the General Assembly.

Membership By-Laws
1. Members shall remit the following dues annually in April:
General Members: 8,000 yen
Graduate Students: 2,000 yen
2. Amendments to these By-Laws shall conform to the procedures set forth in Article 14 of the Statutes.