Primate Research Institute
Encyclopedia
The Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University is a national research center for the study of primates. It was founded in 1967 by primatologists Kinji Imanishi
and Junichiro Itani
. The Institute works toward understanding the biological, behavioral and socioecological aspects of primates, and the origin and evolution of humans. The Institute is located in the city of Inuyama, Aichi Prefecture
, which is about 150 km east of the main campus of Kyoto University
. Through the Division of Biological Sciences of the Graduate School of Science of Kyoto University
, the Institute offers graduate programs leading to the M. Sc. and D. Sc. degrees in the field of primatological science. The director of the institute is Tetsuro Matsuzawa
.
The Institute has a 5-story main building housing the administration office, the library, and the research departments; a 3-story building for the Center for Human Evolution Modeling Research, which has been established on April 1, 1999; a 5-story Ape Research Annex; and a guest house providing accommodations for about 30 visiting scientists. The Field Research Center has its headquarters at Inuyama; one field laboratory is at Koshima, Miyazaki Prefecture, and four other research stations in different regions.
Being a national research center, the Institute has a special program, the Cooperative Research Program, for visiting scientists to carry out research on monkeys and apes. Each year about 170 scientists from outside the Institute benefit from this program.
The Institute has published the Annual Reports of the Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, in Japanese since 1971.
in Japan by establishing a national research center. One group, from Kyoto University
, was represented by Kinji Imanishi
(1902 - 1992) who initiated the field study of nonhuman primates in their natural habitats. The second group was from Tokyo University, represented by Toshihiko Tokizane (1909-1973), a pioneer of brain science who initiated the experimental study of non-human primates in Japan. The two research groups differed in many respects, but collaborated with each other to institutionalize the study of non-human primates.
In 1956, Meitetsu rail-road company
and other companies in the Chūbu
area built the Japan Monkey Center (JMC) as a tourist attraction. Inuyama was chosen as the location for JMC since the city was already famous for its ancient castle. The JMC was created as a private foundation under the control of the Ministry of Education, Science, and Culture. Imanishi and his students, who promoted the creation of the JMC, also developed an on-site research center. In 1964, Shin'ichiro Tomonaga, the second Japanese Nobel Prize winner, played an important role in expanding primate research beyond the JMC center. As president of the Science Council of Japan, he sent a letter to Prime Minister Hayato Ikeda
recommending the establishment of a national institute for primate studies. In the letter he outlined the departments and sections it would ideally contain. Three years later, in 1967, the Primate Research Institute was founded as part of Kyoto University. Rather than build PRI on the Kyoto University campus, the decision was made to build it in Inuyama, close to the existing JMC.
Department of Ecology and Social Behavior
Department of Behavioral and Brain Sciences
Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology
Kinji Imanishi
was a Japanese ecologist and anthropologist. He was the founder of Kyoto University's Primate Research Institute, and together with Junichiro Itani is considered the founder of Japanese primatology.- Publications :...
and Junichiro Itani
Junichiro Itani
is considered a founder of the discipline of Japanese primatology. He was an internationally renowned anthropologist and served as a professor emeritus at Kyoto University. He died at age 75 of pneumonia.-Books available in English:...
. The Institute works toward understanding the biological, behavioral and socioecological aspects of primates, and the origin and evolution of humans. The Institute is located in the city of Inuyama, Aichi Prefecture
Aichi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region. The region of Aichi is also known as the Tōkai region. The capital is Nagoya. It is the focus of the Chūkyō Metropolitan Area.- History :...
, which is about 150 km east of the main campus of Kyoto University
Kyoto University
, or is a national university located in Kyoto, Japan. It is the second oldest Japanese university, and formerly one of Japan's Imperial Universities.- History :...
. Through the Division of Biological Sciences of the Graduate School of Science of Kyoto University
Kyoto University
, or is a national university located in Kyoto, Japan. It is the second oldest Japanese university, and formerly one of Japan's Imperial Universities.- History :...
, the Institute offers graduate programs leading to the M. Sc. and D. Sc. degrees in the field of primatological science. The director of the institute is Tetsuro Matsuzawa
Tetsuro Matsuzawa
is a primatologist who is director of the Primate Research Institute of Kyoto University.Matsuzawa is known for his research on chimpanzee intelligence both in the laboratory and in the wild. His laboratory work consists of the Ai-project, which focuses on the language-like skills, number-concepts,...
.
The Institute has a 5-story main building housing the administration office, the library, and the research departments; a 3-story building for the Center for Human Evolution Modeling Research, which has been established on April 1, 1999; a 5-story Ape Research Annex; and a guest house providing accommodations for about 30 visiting scientists. The Field Research Center has its headquarters at Inuyama; one field laboratory is at Koshima, Miyazaki Prefecture, and four other research stations in different regions.
Being a national research center, the Institute has a special program, the Cooperative Research Program, for visiting scientists to carry out research on monkeys and apes. Each year about 170 scientists from outside the Institute benefit from this program.
The Institute has published the Annual Reports of the Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, in Japanese since 1971.
History
The Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University was founded on June 1, 1967. After World War II, two different research groups made a joint effort to expand the study of PrimatologyPrimatology
Primatology is the scientific study of primates. It is a diverse discipline and researchers can be found in academic departments of anatomy, anthropology, biology, medicine, psychology, veterinary sciences and zoology, as well as in animal sanctuaries, biomedical research facilities, museums and zoos...
in Japan by establishing a national research center. One group, from Kyoto University
Kyoto University
, or is a national university located in Kyoto, Japan. It is the second oldest Japanese university, and formerly one of Japan's Imperial Universities.- History :...
, was represented by Kinji Imanishi
Kinji Imanishi
was a Japanese ecologist and anthropologist. He was the founder of Kyoto University's Primate Research Institute, and together with Junichiro Itani is considered the founder of Japanese primatology.- Publications :...
(1902 - 1992) who initiated the field study of nonhuman primates in their natural habitats. The second group was from Tokyo University, represented by Toshihiko Tokizane (1909-1973), a pioneer of brain science who initiated the experimental study of non-human primates in Japan. The two research groups differed in many respects, but collaborated with each other to institutionalize the study of non-human primates.
In 1956, Meitetsu rail-road company
Nagoya Railroad
, often abbreviated as , is a railroad company operating around Aichi Prefecture and Gifu Prefecture of Japan.Some of the more famous trains operated by Nagoya Railroad include the Panorama Car and the Panorama Car Super, both of which offer views through their wide front windows...
and other companies in the Chūbu
Chubu region
The is the central region of Honshū, Japan's main island. Chūbu has a population estimate of 21,886,324 as of 2008.Chūbu, which means "central region", encompasses nine prefectures : Aichi, Fukui, Gifu, Ishikawa, Nagano, Niigata, Shizuoka, Toyama, Yamanashi, and often Mie.It is located directly...
area built the Japan Monkey Center (JMC) as a tourist attraction. Inuyama was chosen as the location for JMC since the city was already famous for its ancient castle. The JMC was created as a private foundation under the control of the Ministry of Education, Science, and Culture. Imanishi and his students, who promoted the creation of the JMC, also developed an on-site research center. In 1964, Shin'ichiro Tomonaga, the second Japanese Nobel Prize winner, played an important role in expanding primate research beyond the JMC center. As president of the Science Council of Japan, he sent a letter to Prime Minister Hayato Ikeda
Hayato Ikeda
born in Takehara, Hiroshima, was a Japanese politician and the 58th, 59th and 60th Prime Minister of Japan from July 19, 1960 to November 9, 1964....
recommending the establishment of a national institute for primate studies. In the letter he outlined the departments and sections it would ideally contain. Three years later, in 1967, the Primate Research Institute was founded as part of Kyoto University. Rather than build PRI on the Kyoto University campus, the decision was made to build it in Inuyama, close to the existing JMC.
Departments
Department of Evolution and PhylogenyDepartment of Ecology and Social Behavior
Department of Behavioral and Brain Sciences
Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology