JASIAS

[Aaron Gerow]

JAPAN SOCIETY OF IMAGE ARTS AND SCIENCES

I would like to introduce the Japan Society of Image Arts and Sciences 
(JASIAS) and invite interested persons to become a member.

The JASIAS was founded in 1974 and is the main academic society in Japan 
focusing on modern image studies, including film, photography, computer 
graphics, digital media, animation, virtual reality, television, and 
related media. The current membership stands at about 800, with the film 
scholar Prof. Iwamoto Kenji of Waseda University now serving as president.

The society's main activities include holding an annual conference, 
publishing the journals EIZOGAKU (in Japanese, twice a year) and ICONICS 
(in English, French or German, once every two years) as well as the 
society newsletter (four times a year), and sponsoring research groups on 
various topics. Regional divisions of the JASIAS also hold their own 
conferences and seminars.

Especially with the lack of a cinema studies society in Japan, the JASIAS 
has become the main venue for scholars of cinema and related media to 
gather, give papers, and publish articles. EIZOGAKU in particular has 
become an important showcase for new research in Japan on the modern 
image.

The society's website is at: http://www.art.nihon-u.ac.jp/jasias/

The JASIAS has always had a strong commitment to international exchange, 
publishing ICONICS and inviting foreign scholars to speak at society 
events, but currently has only a small number of international members. I 
would particularly like to urge anyone abroad or in Japan interested in 
film, photography, digital media, and related image media, especially in 
relation to Japan, to consider becoming a member.

Members receive all the above mentioned publications, a bound membership 
directory (once every 2 years), and the right to publish in JASIAS 
journals and give a paper at the annual conference.

Membership costs 10,000 yen a year, plus 5,000 yen when initially 
joining. There currently is no reduced rate for students. This may sound 
a bit high to some, but  international members are not charged extra for 
membership or for postal fees. This means that for me in Japan, it is 
about the same that I pay for some American societies. Payment can be 
made by credit card.

New members require the recommendation of two current members and the 
approval of the board of directors to join. Those interested in joining 
can send me a short CV or resume and I can arrange for another person to 
recommend.

I also urge academics interested in the above topics to also have their 
university libraries subscribe to EIZOGAKU and ICONICS. EIZOGAKU is 
indexed in the Diet Library's Zasshi Kiji Sakuin and ICONICS is indexed 
in Film Literature Index. Subscriptions abroad are being handled by Japan 
Publications Trading (http://www.jptco.co.jp/).

If you have any questions about the JASIAS, feel free to write.

Aaron Gerow
Member, Board of Directors
Japan Society of Image Arts and Sciences

Associate Professor
Yokohama National University