To achieve satisfactorily the purpose of a collaborative research project, it must be indispensable
to clarify the significance of the project in full and hold its better and common understanding with the
counterpart (CP) before the start, because the CP may possibly have a different background from us and aim
at a different goal even in the same scientifi c fi eld. We must ascertain clearly what the CP really wants to do
in the project when planning.
Supporting system of the project should be established firmly at both sides of the CP and Japan.
Since experimental sites of forest sciences are often selected locally far from the main offi ce, broad support
such as transportation and lodging is expected at the CP side. In addition, the help of the CP side may also
be important for custom clearance to bring facilities and instruments into the country for the project. We
often experienced problems of this kind. In the fi eld of fi eld science, especially, landownership should be
confi rmed when setting of the experimental site. We also experienced several cases where local people were
earning a livelihood in the concession area of forestry companies. There arose a critical friction between
them. Risk management should be an important point to be considered for both sides of the CP and Japan.
Ordinary systems including telephone and banking all stopped when a revolution broke out in the Philippines
in 1986.
In foreign countries, the salary of the employee is often paid from the project. Therefore, if necessary,
the project should appropriate some fund to the salary of the CP employee. Otherwise, there occasionally
happen some cases where the collaboration could not be promised from the CP.
Applicable research results are required frequently for addressing present technical issue in
collaborations with developing countries. Fruitful research results have been obtained in our fi eld so far,
but their most part seems to be not systematic but individualistic. Systems for technical improvement and
development, and its extension should be constructed by integration of research results. For systematization
the continuity of researches connecting each other should be ensured although researcher change happens.