Cultural History of PaleoAsia

Scientific Research on Innovative Areas,
a MEXT Grant-in-Aid Project
FY2016-2020

Research Organization

Steering Committee

Project Leader
  • Yoshihiro Nishiaki, Professor
    Archaeology, The University Museum, The University of Tokyo, Japan
Co-investigators
  • Yasuhisa Kondo, Associate Professor
    Geoinformatics (GIS), Archaeology, RIHN Center, Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, Japan
  • Seiji Kadowaki, Lecturer
    Prehistoric Archaeology, Nagoya University Museum, Nagoya University, Japan
  • Hiroyuki Kitagawa, Professor
    Environmental Sciences, Chronology, Institute for Space-Earth Environmental Research, Nagoya University, Japan
  • Atsushi Nobayashi, Professor
    Cultural Anthropology, Research Center for Cultural Resources, National Museum of Ethnology, Japan
  • Joe Yuichiro Wakano, Professor
    Mathematical Biology, Institute for Advanced Study of Mathematical Sciences, Meiji University, Japan
  • Mayumi Yaguchi
    The University Museum, The University of Tokyo, Japan
Advisors:
  • Akira Ono, Professor Emeritus
    Archaeology, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Japan
  • Tasuku Kimura, Professor Emeritus
    Physical Anthropology, The University of Tokyo, Japan
  • Motomitsu Uchibori, Professor Emeritus
    Cultural Anthropology, Faculty of Liberal Arts, The Open University of Japan/ Hitotsubashi University, Japan
  • Robin Dennell, Professor Emeritus/ Honorary Professor
    Prehistoric Anthropology, University of Sheffield/ University of Exeter, UK

International Research Promotion Group

Project Leader
  • Yoshihiro Nishiaki, Professor
    Archaeology, The University Museum, The University of Tokyo, Japan
Co-investigators
  • Seiji Kadowaki, Lecturer
    Prehistoric Archaeology, Nagoya University Museum, Nagoya University, Japan
    (Team Leader, Research Team A02)
  • Hiroyuki Kitagawa, Professor
    Environmental Sciences, Chronology, Institute for Space-Earth Environmental Research, Nagoya University, Japan
    (Team Leader, Research Team A03)
  • Atsushi Nobayashi, Professor
    Cultural Anthropology, Research Center for Cultural Resources, National Museum of Ethnology, Japan
    (Team Leader, Research Team B01)
  • Joe Yuichiro Wakano, Professor
    Mathematical Biology, Institute for Advanced Study of Mathematical Sciences, Meiji University, Japan
    (Team Leader, Research Team B02)
  • Toko Fujimoto, Assistant Professor
    Cultural Anthropology, Department of Cultural Research, National Museum of Ethnology, Japan
    (Co-investigator, Research Team B01)
  • Takeru Akazawa, Professor Emeritus
    Anthropology, Kochi University of Technology, Japan
  • Miho Suzuki, Project Academic Support Specialist
    Secretariat, The University Museum, the University of Tokyo, Japan
  • Chie Akashi, Project Academic Support Staff
    Secretariat, The University Museum, the University of Tokyo, Japan

Research Team A01

A chrono-spatial framework for the emergence of modern humans and their cultures in Asia

Team Leader
  • Yoshihiro Nishiaki, Professor
    West Asian Archaeology, The University Museum, The University of Tokyo, Japan
Co-investigators
  • Jun Takakura, Assistant Professor
    North Asian Archaeology, Archaeological Research Center, Hokkaido University, Japan
  • Takuya Yamaoka, Associate Professor
    Southeast Asian Archaeology, Department of Social and Human Studies, Shizuoka University, Japan
  • Hajime Ishida, Professor
    Physical Anthropology, Graduate School of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Japan
  • Hitoshi Magara, Director
    Uozu Museum of History and Folklre Director City History Compilation Office
  • Kazuya Nakagawa, Assistant Chief
    Archaeology, Excavation Section, Kyoto-prefecture research center for Archaeologycal propertys, Japan
  • Shinji Kato, Director
    Archaeology, Planning and Coordination Section, Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, Japan
  • Kazuharu Takehana, Correspondent in Japan
    Paleolithic Culture (Techno-typology), Institute of Human Paleontology at Paris, France
  • Hiroto Nakata, Lecturer
    Japanese Archaeology, College of Literature, Aoyama Gakuin University, Japan
  • Rikai Sawafuji, JSPS Research Fellow for Young Scientists School of Advanced Sciences
    The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Japan
  • Kenji Suzuki,
    National Ainu Museum, Japan
Overseas Collaborators
  • Wang Youping, Professor
    Department of Archaeology, Peking University, China
  • Otabek Aripdjanov, Vice Director
    State Museum of History, Uzbekistan
  • Sonia Shidrang, Researcher
    National Museum of Iran, Iran
  • James Blinkhorn, Research Associate
    Department of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology, University of Liverpool, UK
  • Farhad Guliyev, Senior Researcher
    Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Azerbaijan
Invited Researchers
  • Atsushi Uemine, Program-Specific Assistant Professor
    Archaeology, The Hakubi Center for Advanced Research / Institute for Research in Humanities, Kyoto University, Japan
  • Sadakatsu Kunitake, Associate Reserch Fellow
    Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Property, Japan

Research Team A02

Dynamism of human behavior during the dispersal of Homo sapiens into Asia

Team Leader
  • Seiji Kadowaki, Lecturer
    Prehistoric Archaeology, Nagoya University Museum, Nagoya University, Japan
Co-investigators
  • Masami Izuho, Associate Professor
    Geoarchaeology, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Japan
  • Rintaro Ono, Associate Professor
    Maritime Archaeology, National Museum of Ethnology, Japan
  • Yuichi Nakazawa, Assistant Professor
    Palaeolithic Archaeology, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Japan
  • Keiichi Takahashi, Deputy Director-General
    Vertebrate Paleontology, Lake Biwa Museum, Japan
  • Yuichi Naito, Reserch Fellow
    Evolutionary anthropology, Chronology, Nagoya University Museum, Japan
Overseas Collaborators
  • Donald O. Henry, Professor Emeritus
    Department of Anthropology, University of Tulsa, USA
  • Byambaa Gunchinsuren, Vice President
    Institute of History and Archaeology, Mongolian Academy of Sciences, Mongolia
  • Alfred F. Pawlik, Professor
    Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Ateneo de Manila University, Philippines
Invited Researchers
  • Takashi Nakazawa, Professor
    Division of Natural Sciences, Research Group of Chemistry, Nara Women’s University, Japan

Research Team A03

Changing climate and resident-environment in the migrations and expansions of Homo sapiens across the continent of Asia

Team Leader
  • Hiroyuki Kitagawa, Professor
    Environmental Sciences, Chronology, Institute for Space-Earth Environmental Research, Nagoya University, Japan
Co-investigators
  • Toshiyuki Fujiki, Lecturer
    Palynology, Faculty of Science, Okayama University of Sciences, Japan
  • Hitoshi Hasegawa, Lecturer
    Sedimentology, Paleoclimatology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Kochi University, Japan
  • Yasuhisa Kondo, Associate Professor
    Geoinformatics (GIS), Archaeology, RIHN Center, Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, Japan
  • Toru Tamura, Researcher
    Sedimentology, Geomorphology, Chronology, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Japan
  • Takehiro Miki, PhD student
    Institute of Near Eastern Archaeology, Free University of Berlin, Germany
  • Taichi Kuronuma, PhD student
    Tokyo Metropolitan University, Japan
  • Christian Leipe, Researcher
    Palaeoecology, archaeology, Environmental Sciences, Chronology, Institute
    for Space-Earth Environmental Research, Nagoya University,
    Japan/Palaeoecology, archaeology, Institute of Geological Sciences, Free
    University of Berlin, Germany
Overseas Collaborators
  • Mordechai (Moti) Stein
    Geochemistry, Geological Survey of Israel, Israel
  • Jaesoo Lim
    Quaternary Science, Geochemistry, Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM), Korea
  • Dang Xuan Phong
    Geography, Geochemistry, Institute of Geography, Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology (VAST), Vietnam
  • Niiden Ichinnorov
    Pollen analysis, paleovegetation reconstruction, Institute of Paleontology and Geology, Mongolia
  • Marco Madella, Professor
    Department of Humanities, Pompeu Fabra University Archaeobotany, Environmental archaeology
  • Carla Lancelott, Researcher
    Department of Humanities, Pompeu Fabra University Archaeobotany, Environmental archaeology
Invited Researchers
  • Nagayoshi Katsuta, Associate Professor
    Science Education(Earth Science) Department, Faculty of Education, Gifu University, Japan
  • Masako Yamane, Researcher
    14C dating, Geochemistry, Institute for Space-Earth Environmental Research,
    Nagoya University, Japan

Research Team B01

Anthropological study on cultural and behavioral change through dispersal and contact of human populations

Team Leader
  • Atsushi Nobayashi, Professor
    Cultural Anthropology, Research Center for Cultural Resources, National Museum of Ethnology, Japan
Co-investigators
  • Kazunobu Ikeya, Professor
    Ecological Anthropology, Department of Cultural Research, National Museum of Ethnology, Japan
  • Yoko Ueba, Associate Professor
    Ethno-Artistic Study, Research Center for Cultural Resources, National Museum of Ethnology, Japan
  • Toko Fujimoto, Associate Professor
    Cultural Anthropology, Department of Cultural Research, National Museum of Ethnology, Japan
  • Yuriko Yamanaka, Professor
    Studies of Cultural Representations, Department of Cultural Research, National Museum of Ethnology, Japan
  • Hitoshi, Yamada, Associate Professor
    Graduate School / Faculty Of Arts And Letters Tohoku University
  • Shuhei Uda, Associate Professor
    Environmental Folklore, Department of Advanced Studies in Anthropology, National Museum of Ethnology, Japan
  • Hideyuki Onishi, Professor
    Ecological Anthropology, Historical Ecology, Faculty of Contemporary Social Studies, Doshisha Women’s College of Liberal Arts, Japan
  • Miwa Kanetani, Associate professor
    Professional Institute of International Fashion, Japan
  • Haruka Kikuta, Associate Professor
    Hokkai-Gakuen University, Faculity of Economics, Japan
  • Ayami Nakatani, Professor
    Cultural Anthropology, Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Okayama University, Japan
  • Yuzo Marukawa, Associate Professor
    Digital Anthropology, Department of Advanced Studies in Anthropology, National Museum of Ethnology, Japan
  • Setsuko Yoshida, Professor
    Cultural Anthropology, Department of Sociology, Shikoku Gakuin University, Japan
  • Mikako Toda, Assistant professor
    Anthropology, African area study, Sophia University, Japan
  • Yujie Peng, Project Researcher
    Center for Cultural Resource Studies, National Museum of Ethnology, Japan
Overseas Collaborators
  • Sakkarin Na Nan, Lecturer
    Rajamangala University of Technology Lanna Nan, THailand
  • Simon Scott, Professor
    University of Ottawa, Canada
  • Isabelle Drainants, Directrice de recherche
    CNRS Institut de recherche et d’histoire des textes (IRHT), France

Research Team B02

Mathematical modelling and analysis of cultural and behavioral changes through dispersal and settlement of human populations

Team Leader
  • Joe Yuichiro Wakano, Professor
    Mathematical Biology, School of Interdisciplinary Mathematical Sciences, Meiji University, Japan
Co-investigators
  • Yutaka Kobayashi, Associate Professor
    Mathematical Biology, Department of Management, Kochi University of Technology, Japan
  • Naoyuki Takahata, Professor Emeritus
    Human Population Genetics, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, Japan
  • Yasuo Ihara, Lecturer
    Theoretical Anthropology, Graduate School of Science, Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Japan
  • Kenichi Aoki, Research Fellow
    Population Biology, Intellectual Property Law and Policy Institute, (IPLPI), Meiji University, Japan
  • Mitsuhiro Nakamura, Postdoctoral Researcher
    Organization for the Strategic Coordination of Research and Intellectual Properties, Meiji University, Japan
  • Yo Nakawake, Research Associete
    School of Ecnomics and Management, Kochi University of Technology, Japan
Overseas Collaborators
  • Marcus W. Feldman, Professor
    Stanford University, USA
  • Laurent Lehmann, Professor
    University of Lausanne, Switzerland
  • Alex Mesoudi, Associate Professor of Cultural Evolution
    University of Exeter, UK
  • Joseph Henrich, Professor
    Harvard University, USA
  • Magnus Enquist, Professor of Ethology
    Stockholm University, Sweden
Invited Researchers
  • Hiroki Oota, Professor
    School of Science, The University of Tokyo
  • Kohei Tamura, Assistant Professor
    Cultural Evolution, Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Tohoku University, Japan