The Clay Science Society of Japan is an academic organization established for basic and applied research on clay and clay-based materials, dissemination of the research results, and promotion of communication among members and non-members inside and outside Japan. Clay is one of the materials familiar to us, as it is widely present on the surface layer (i.e. the crust) of our planet Earth. The relationship between clay and humans goes back a long way. A few thousand years ago, our ancestors used clay for pottery or sun-dried bricks. Today clay is used in various fields as a basic material for industries such as ceramics, papermaking, plastics, nuclear power, civil engineering, construction, agricultural chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. It is also being applied to nanocomposites, optical recording materials, thin-film materials, catalysts, and other fields as part of advanced industrial materials. Clay thus has many applications in varying fields; needless to say, this is because of its varying characteristics as an inorganic polymer. On the other hand, clay is deeply related to the birth of life and the global environment as one of the essential materials that constitute the Earth’s system, and it is attracting a large amount of attention as a key material that is helping to unravel the billions of years of Earth’s history. The CSSJ is Japan’s only academic organization that comprehensively handles a wide range of clay research, from basic to applied, and it enjoys a high reputation inside and outside Japan. Committed to being an active academic society, we are always looking for the most appropriate way we can serve society to match the demands of the times, which are changing with the remarkable progress being made in science and technology. Our hope is that as many people as possible will come to understand our roles and commitment and will join our society.

The members of Clay Science Society of Japan (CSSJ) come from a variety of fields, including 1) earth and planetary sciences 2) resources and materials 3) chemistry and physics 4) agricultural sciences 5) construction and civil engineering 6) environmental and disaster-prevention sciences. The membership of the CSSJ has reached around 350, including students. Affiliations of the members are also diverse; the university faculties of science, engineering, and agriculture, national and prefectural research institutes, research facilities of private manufacturers, and private companies in the resources, construction, and civil engineering fields. What is noteworthy today is active researches by young or student members. Results of researches on clay and clay-related materials conducted by the CSSJ members are presented in various international journals including our society’s journal (Clay Science), and many international and domestic conferences.

Journals of the CSSJ: Nendo Kagaku, a Japanese journal published three times a year, and Clay Science, a quarterly journal in English. Forum：Once a year (general agenda include research presentations, symposiums, lectures and general assemblies). Field Trip: Once a year in principle.

Clay samples are very much in demand from CSSJ members. In response to this demand, the CSSJ distributes clay mineral samples used as standard samples in research activities (CSSJ Reference Clay Samples). We have the following samples, prepared with the help of supporting members, available for members.

JCSS-3101	Montmorillonite (Tsukinuno)
JCSS-3102	Montmorillonite (Mikawa)
JCSS-3501	Synthetic saponite (Kunimine Industries Co., Ltd.)
JCSS-2101	Pyrophyllite (Shokozan)
JCSS-1301	Dickite (Shokozan)
JCSS-1101b	Kaolinite (Kanpaku)
JCSS-5501	Hydrobiotite (South Africa)