Japan Society on Water Environment

What Japan Society on Water Environment does

The Japan Society on Water Environment (公益社団法人日本水環境学会, JSWE) is a public interest incorporated association founded in 1981 and headquartered in Koto-ku, Tokyo. It conducts academic research in water environment-related fields — including water quality management, wastewater treatment, and aquatic ecosystem protection — and disseminates knowledge to a membership of 2,000+ researchers, engineers, government officials, and students drawn from universities, private companies, government agencies, and research institutes across Japan. The society is governed by a president and board of directors, with a small secretariat staff.

The society's core outputs are two peer-reviewed academic journals — the monthly Japanese-language 水環境学会誌 (Journal of the Japan Society on Water Environment) and the English-language Journal of Water and Environment Technology (JWET), both indexed on J-STAGE — alongside three recurring events: the Annual Meeting (年会; 61st edition scheduled for 2027), the Symposium, and the Water and Environment Technology Conference (WET). It also publishes the MIZU-SHIRUBE Water Environment Soundness Index, a standardized biological water assessment methodology developed under continuous commission from Japan's Ministry of the Environment since FY2004, and has produced applied research deliverables such as SARS-CoV-2 detection-in-wastewater manuals for the Japan Sewage Works Agency. Corporate-sponsored awards (Kurita, Lion, Organo) and career-guidance programs link student members to industry employers.

Revenue is generated through annual membership subscriptions (13,000 yen for individual regular members; 80,000–160,000 yen for organizational members; 5,500 yen for students and senior members), conference and event fees, publication sales (proceedings and DVDs), commissioned research funding from government agencies, and donations from corporate sponsors. The society holds no subsidiaries, has no parent organization, and operates independently with no equity funding, consistent with its non-profit public-interest status under Japanese law.

Name

Japan Society on Water Environment

Legal name

公益社団法人日本水環境学会

Website

https://jswe.or.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Japan Society on Water Environment (公益社団法人日本水環境学会) is a Japanese public-interest academic society founded in 1981 that conducts water environment research, publishes peer-reviewed journals (水環境学会誌 and JWET), and hosts conferences serving 2,000+ researchers, engineers, government officials, and students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Academic Society & Scientific Publishing

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

WASH (Water, Sanitation & Hygiene) Organizations (HLAJAKAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Water Quality Monitoring (Surface Water, Stormwater, Drinking Water) (EUAHACAC)

Keywords

• Academic society
• Water environment research
• Peer-reviewed journals
• Scientific conferences
• Wastewater treatment studies

Headquarters

HQ city

Koto

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Others

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Japan Society on Water Environment operates as a professional academic society that convenes researchers, engineers, and government officials around water environment research. It sells annual memberships (individual, corporate, student, senior tiers) and delivers value through monthly peer-reviewed journals, annual conferences and symposiums, sponsored student awards, and commissioned research outputs such as the MIZU-SHIRUBE water quality assessment index developed for the Ministry of Environment.

Product overview

The Japan Society on Water Environment (公益社団法人日本水環境学会) is a professional academic society that serves as a platform for researchers, engineers, and government officials in the water environment field. The society operates a portfolio of peer-reviewed journals (水環境学会誌 and Journal of Water and Environment Technology), organizes major conferences (年会, симпозиум, and WET conference), and offers awards recognizing student and researcher achievements (クリタ賞, ライオン賞, オルガノ賞). The society also publishes educational materials including the MIZU-SHIRUBE water quality assessment index and regional water environment book series. Membership exceeds 2,000 individuals from educational institutions, private companies, government agencies, and research institutes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Journal of the Japan Society on Water Environment (水環境学会誌)

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Ministry of the Environment, Japan (環境省)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004The society has been commissioned by the Ministry of Environment since FY2004 to develop the Water Environment Soundness Index (MIZU-SHIRUBE). This multi-year collaboration has produced survey manuals, guidelines for teachers, and activity guidelines for citizens to assess water environments through biological surveys.
• Japan Water Resources Environment (日水コン/NSC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint project partner with the society for the Water Environment Soundness Index development commissioned by the Ministry of Environment. NSC served as the primary contractor with the society as co-implementer.
• International Water Association (IWA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe society is a related international organization affiliated with IWA. It provides international activity support funds for young members and collaborates on international conferences including the World Water Congress.
• Japan Sewage Works Agency (日本下水道新技術機構)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe society conducted commissioned research on SARS-CoV-2 detection methods in wastewater, producing detection manuals and instructional videos published in multiple languages.
• Science and Technology Research (JST) - J-STAGETechnology or IntegrationJ-STAGE (J-STage) platform operated by the Japan Science and Technology Agency hosts the society's journal publications, providing open access to research papers for non-members.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Japan Water Works Association (日本水道協会): JWWA is the dominant Japanese water utility association, publishing journals, hosting conferences, and serving water-supply professionals. It is the closest domestic peer to JSWE, with overlapping membership in the Japanese water sector.
• Water Environment Federation (WEF): WEF is the leading U.S.-based professional organization for water quality professionals, publishing journals, hosting the WEFTEC conference, and engaging members across academia, industry, and government — directly paralleling JSWE's mission in the Japanese market.
• American Water Works Association (AWWA): AWWA is the largest U.S. water-sector association, with membership spanning utilities, engineers, and researchers, and it publishes the Journal AWWA. It mirrors JSWE's combination of academic publishing, conferences, and standards/advocacy for water professionals.
• Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM): CIWEM is a UK-based chartered membership body for water and environmental professionals, publishing the Water and Environment Journal and convening industry events. It is comparable to JSWE as a professional society combining academic publishing, awards, and policy engagement.
• International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research (IAHR): IAHR is a global, learned society for hydro-environment engineering and research, publishing journals and organizing congresses. It is comparable to JSWE in scope — an academic-membership society advancing water-related science and engineering — but at a global rather than national scale.

Others

• Water Research Foundation (WRF): WRF is a U.S.-based, member-supported research nonprofit that funds collaborative water research and disseminates findings. It is adjacent to JSWE's research dissemination role rather than a direct competitor, complementing academic societies with applied research programs.
• IWA Publishing: IWA Publishing is the commercial publishing arm of the International Water Association and is JSWE's international counterpart for academic water research dissemination. It is an ecosystem participant — overlapping in publishing but not competing for membership.

Regional players

• Australian Water Association: The Australian Water Association is the leading Australian water-sector professional body, publishing journals and hosting events. It mirrors JSWE's society structure but operates in a different geography, making it a regional rather than direct competitor.
• European Water Association (EWA): EWA is a pan-European non-profit promoting water quality science and management through conferences and publications. It parallels JSWE's academic society model but serves European rather than Japanese members.

Broad incumbents

• International Water Association (IWA): IWA is the global umbrella organization for water professionals and is JSWE's official international affiliate. It offers a broader, world-wide portfolio of programs, publishing (IWA Publishing), and conferences that overlaps with JSWE's academic and convening role.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Japan Society on Water Environment