著者

渡邊 洋之

出版者

日本科学史学会

雑誌

科学史研究 (ISSN:21887535)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.53, no.270, pp.169, 2014 (Released:2020-12-09)

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This paper discusses some facts that were pivotal in the process of the introduction of Bluegill Sunfish, Lepomis macrochirus, into various places in Japan, however have not been considered in the existing literature. This paper points out that L.macrochirus escaped, and also was stocked, to the open water in Osaka as a result of experiments by a fisheries experimental station in the 1960s and early 1970s. In Shiga Prefecture too, the fish escaped into Lake Biwa as a result of experiments by a fisheries experimental station in about 1969. Neither Osaka nor Shiga are mentioned, by previous studies based on questionnaire research, as the prefectures in which L.macrochirus inhabited in the years between 1960, when the fish was first introduced into Japan, and 1979. In addition, anglers, who considered L.macrochirus an ideal game fish, stocked ponds and lakes in some prefectures with L.macrochirus in around 1970 on purpose to multiply the species. During this process, a network among not only local governments, fisheries experimental stations, and fish farmers, but also industries targeting anglers, such as fishing tackle makers and a magazine for anglers, was being formed, which however did not get established after all. These findings will contribute to enrich the basis of today's genetic research on the distribution of L.macrochirus in Japan.

著者

渡邊 洋之

出版者

日本科学史学会

雑誌

科学史研究 (ISSN:21887535)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.42, no.227, pp.129-139, 2003 (Released:2021-08-12)

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This paper is to explain the process of the introduction of nutrias in Japan and the thoughts of various people who were related to it. Since nutrias was regarded as furred animals suitable for the wartime system and attracted the interest of the military, breeding of them was spread rapidly. However, the demand for nutrias furs was vanished by the defeat of WWII, then nutrias were ejected in the open air. At a later time, around 1950, breeding of nutrias became popular once again. But this boom was declined after several years and nutrias were ejected outdoors again because the boom did not expand beyond the stage of speculative business. This fact shows that in the historical context, the introduction and expansion of nutrias was not seen as a problem but even recommended, which is different from today's principle that any introduced species should be expelled. On the other hand, this paper can not confirm any fact showing the argument about the introduction of nutrias had some influence on the argument about what human society ought to be like. However, it shows that biologists have attempted to speak figuratively about nutrias by giving them various names, for example, shouri (this is a homonym of the word that means victory in Japanese) or rumin (this word means immigrants who are forced to wander in Japanese). This fact means that any discourse about the introduction of living things should become not only scientific but social.

著者

渡邊 洋之

出版者

日本科学史学会

雑誌

科学史研究. [第Ⅲ期] = Journal of history of science, Japan. 日本科学史学会 編 (ISSN:21887535)

巻号頁・発行日

no.270, pp.169-181, 2014-07

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This paper discusses some facts that were pivotal in the process of the introduction of Bluegill Sunfish, Lepomis macrochirus, into various places in Japan, however have not been considered in the existing literature. This paper points out that L.macrochirus escaped, and also was stocked, to the open water in Osaka as a result of experiments by a fisheries experimental station in the 1960s and early 1970s. In Shiga Prefecture too, the fish escaped into Lake Biwa as a result of experiments by a fisheries experimental station in about 1969. Neither Osaka nor Shiga are mentioned, by previous studies based on questionnaire research, as the prefectures in which L.macrochirus inhabited in the years between 1960, when the fish was first introduced into Japan, and 1979. In addition, anglers, who considered L.macrochirus an ideal game fish, stocked ponds and lakes in some prefectures with L.macrochirus in around 1970 on purpose to multiply the species. During this process, a network among not only local governments, fisheries experimental stations, and fish farmers, but also industries targeting anglers, such as fishing tackle makers and a magazine for anglers, was being formed, which however did not get established after all. These findings will contribute to enrich the basis of today's genetic research on the distribution of L.macrochirus in Japan.

著者

渡邊 洋之

出版者

日本科学史学会

雑誌

科学史研究 (ISSN:21887535)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.39, no.213, pp.1-10, 2000 (Released:2021-08-23)

被引用文献数

1

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This paper attempts to explain a part of history related to the protection of wildlife and biological diversity by analyzing a certain person's view of nature. It picks out a zoologist,Shozaburo WATASE (1862-1929). WATASE's two activities, namely to enthusiastically introduce living things and to protect wildlife by establishing and designating natural monuments, seem to us to be a contradiction now. But by analyzing WATASE's discourse, I think they are not. WATASE's arguments for his two activities had trust in the "power of human work" in common. And they commonly set human beings in the absolute position in which he believed they could control nature. Moreover, it has become obvious that both of WATASE's arguments for his two activities were connected with Japanese colonial rules at that time. This fact suggests that to intend to conquer nature or to have trust in exercising the "power of human work" over nature is related to colonial rules, which are the intention and action to expand one's own sphere and rule others. And I think this fact also raises a question for reflective work on the way science should be, because we can regard biology, a part of science, as a form of exercising of the "power of human work".

著者

渡邊 洋之

出版者

SHAKAIGAKU KENKYUKAI

雑誌

ソシオロジ (ISSN:05841380)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.54, no.3, pp.19-35,177, 2010

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Ecological problems caused by introduced species have today drawn worldwide attention. However, the subsequent claim that every introduced species should be eradicated has recently been questioned: some scholars have pointed out the possible connection between such a claim and racism directed against immigrants. A harmful species introduced from a different country or region and named after its place of origin, they argue, can reinforce feelings of prejudice towards immigrants who came from that place, and vice versa. The aim of this paper is to disentangle this intricate relationships between flora and fauna and human society through the case of a plant called "Taiwan-gusa", the name by which I knew it in my childhood, by exploring the reasons why the plant was so named. First, this paper regards the names given to introduced species as catachresis, which enables us to see not only borrowing and adoption between one sign and another but also the gap which always exists between a sign and the object it signifies. The paper then shows that the plant has many other names in various dialects, most of which are related to objects of fear or causes of misfortune: diseases, wars, natural calamities, and so on. Considering that "Taiwan-gusa" is one of these names, we could see here evidence of the social prejudice surrounding Taiwan and its people, in which they have often been associated with fear and misfortune. If we accept that the names of living things are catachresis, then a name related to a certain place name cannot avoid being affected by the figurative meanings and images attached to the place, including social prejudices. We should be aware of the phenomena caused by catachresis as we consider the measures to be taken with regard to introduced species.

著者

渡邊 洋之

出版者

日本科学史学会

雑誌

科学史研究. 第II期 (ISSN:00227692)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.42, no.227, pp.129-139, 2003-09-25

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This paper is to explain the process of the introduction of nutrias in Japan and the thoughts of various people who were related to it. Since nutrias was regarded as furred animals suitable for the wartime system and attracted the interest of the military, breeding of them was spread rapidly. However, the demand for nutrias furs was vanished by the defeat of WWII, then nutrias were ejected in the open air. At a later time, around 1950, breeding of nutrias became popular once again. But this boom was declined after several years and nutrias were ejected outdoors again because the boom did not expand beyond the stage of speculative business. This fact shows that in the historical context, the introduction and expansion of nutrias was not seen as a problem but even recommended, which is different from today's principle that any introduced species should be expelled. On the other hand, this paper can not confirm any fact showing the argument about the introduction of nutrias had some influence on the argument about what human society ought to be like. However, it shows that biologists have attempted to speak figuratively about nutrias by giving them various names, for example, shouri (this is a homonym of the word that means victory in Japanese) or rumin (this word means immigrants who are forced to wander in Japanese). This fact means that any discourse about the introduction of living things should become not only scientific but social.