The purpose of this study is to identify the factors related to the development of Japanese appreciation/gratitude research, through a review of psychological research abroad and in Japan.Research on appreciation/gratitude has been expanding since 2000 in Western countries whereas gradually cumulating data in Japan. Suggestions for the future study were necessity of the empirical research to clarify the mechanism by which appreciation/gratitude improve well-being and mental health, and to understand the development of appreciation/gratitude as a life-span process in Japan.