is a Japanese research center for the study of primates. It was founded in 1967 by

primatologists Primatology is the scientific study of primates. It is a diverse discipline at the boundary between mammalogy and anthropology, and researchers can be found in academic departments of anatomy, anthropology, biology, medicine, psychology, vete ...

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 one of the founders of Japanese primatology. Early life and education Kinji ...

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 is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshū. Aichi Prefecture has a population of 7,552,873 () and a geographic area of with a population density of . Aichi Prefecture borders Mie Prefecture to the west, Gifu Prefectur ...

, which is about 150 km east of the main campus of

Kyoto University , mottoeng = Freedom of academic culture , established = , type = National university, Public (National) , endowment = ¥ 316 billion (2.4 1000000000 (number), billion USD) , faculty = 3,480 (Teaching Staff) , administrative_staff ...

. Through the Division of Biological Sciences of the Graduate School of Science of

, the institute offers graduate programs leading to the Master of Science and Doctorate of Science degrees in the field of primatological science. Since 2013, the director of the institute is botanist Hirohisa Hirai (following

Tetsuro Matsuzawa is a primatologist who was a past director of the Primate Research Institute of Kyoto University. He graduated from Kyoto University with a B.A. degree in 1974, a Psy.M. degree in 1976 and a Ph.D. degree in Science in 1989. Matsuzawa is know ...

's tenure from 2006 to 2012).

Facilities

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 World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, two different research groups made a joint effort to expand the study of

primatology Primatology is the scientific study of primates. It is a diverse Academic discipline, discipline at the boundary between mammalogy and anthropology, and researchers can be found in academic departments of anatomy, anthropology, biology, medici ...

in Japan by establishing a national research center. One group, from

, was represented by

(1902–1992) who initiated the field study of nonhuman primates in their natural habitats. The second group was from

Tokyo University , abbreviated as or UTokyo, is a public research university located in Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan. Established in 1877, the university was the first Imperial University and is currently a Top Type university of the Top Global University Project by ...

, 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 (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 The Nobel Prizes ( ; sv, Nobelpriset ; no, Nobelprisen ) are five separate prizes that, according to Alfred Nobel's will of 1895, are awarded to "those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind." Alfr ...

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 was a Japanese bureaucrat and later politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 1960 to 1964. He is best known for his Income Doubling Plan, which promised to double Japan's GDP in ten years. Ikeda is also known for repairing U.S.-J ...

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. In 2020 the university announced that the institute had misappropriated funds during Matsuzawa's term.Kyoto Univ. Reveals Funds Scandal Involving Noted Primatologist
/ref>

Departments

*Department of Evolution and Phylogeny *Department of Ecology and Social Behavior *Department of Behavioral and Brain Sciences *Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology

References

* ''Human Ape'', video documentary on

National Geographic Channel National Geographic (formerly National Geographic Channel; abbreviated and trademarked as Nat Geo or Nat Geo TV) is an American pay television television network, network and flagship (broadcasting), flagship channel owned by the National Geograp ...

, March 17, 2008, directed by Martin Gorst, written by Yavar Abbas

External links

Primate Research Institute Official Website
{{Authority control Kyoto University Research institutes established in 1967 Primate research centers 1967 establishments in Japan Research institutes in Japan

Facilities

History

Departments

See also

References

External links