Mission

Shigeo Fujii, Senior Director

　The Lake Biwa Environmental Research Institute (LBERI) was established in 2005 as a monitoring and research institute for the environment of Lake Biwa and in Shiga Prefecture, and has played a role in providing scientific knowledge and results to the prefectural government and residents of Shiga.

　LBERI, formed by the merger of the Lake Biwa Research Institute, the Environmental Division of the Institute of Public Health and Environmental Science, and the Shiga Forest Research Center, has inherited much of the important research conducted by these organizations. LBERI has also achieved many successes in policy recommendations on the water environment and the conservation and restoration of ecosystems in the Lake Biwa basin based on environmental monitoring through surveys of Lake Biwa’s water quality, the atmosphere, and groundwater, as well as simulations of them.

　In recent years, Lake Biwa and its watershed have seen improvements in water quality thanks to various efforts. However, the impacts of climate change, such as the incomplete holomictic circulation of the lake, have been observed. The environmental issues facing the lake and Shiga prefecture have become more complex and diverse.

 　It goes without saying that Lake Biwa is an important lake. What is happening to it and the forests, rivers, villages, and lakes that surround it? It is important to know the exact answer and what we should do to protect Lake Biwa and the environment of Shiga.

　Despite the accumulation of monitoring and research to date, the lake and its surrounding ecosystems remain complex, with many unresolved questions. To unravel them, LBERI will continue to monitor Lake Biwa and the environment of Shiga to understand the changes they undergo, and will promote research based on a comprehensive perspective in cooperation with various parties.

April 2025