The Yoko Civilization Research Institute (YCRI) has so far held three international conferences focusing on some aspects of the unprecedented crisis the world is facing today. YCRI is going to hold its fourth international conference in September 2005, inviting 32 participants (as of 30 June 2005) at Awaji Island located in the Inland Sea between Honshu and Shikoku islands.

As in YCRI's past conferences, specific conference management will be delegated to scholars and experts who assent to the purpose of the conference. In 2003, the Fourth Yoko Civilization International Conference Planning Committee was launched comprised of the members below. The Planning Committee is engaging in such work as the examination of specific themes and purposes of the sessions as well as the selection of participants. The following is the synopsis of the conference. YCRI would like to offer its heartfelt gratitude to be able to hold the international conference again.


Organizer
Yoko Civilization Research Institute

Planning Committee

Chairman		Isamu Nagami		President, Nagoya Ryujo College
Committee members		Susumu Shimazono		Professor, Tokyo University Graduate School of Humanities and Sociology
		Masashi Suezawa		Visiting Professor, Center of Interdisciplinary Research, Tohoku University
		Hisashi Doi		Director, Yoko Civilization Research Institute
		Yasuo Yuasa		Professor Emeritus, Obirin University
		Manabu Watanabe		Permanent Fellow, Nanzan Institute for Religion and Culture Professor, Faculty of Policy Studies, Nanzan University

Dates
September 18 (Sun)-21 (Wed), 2005

Venue
Awaji Yumebutai International Conference Center, Hyogo, Japan

Conference Theme
Science and Religion in the Age of Crisis

Session Themes
1. Prenatal Screening
2. Manipulating Humans
3. Manipulating Nature
4. Science and Spirituality
5. Crisis in Religion
6. Seeking an Expanded Framework

Mid-Conference Symposium
Finitude of Life and Life Science

> Prospectus
> History of the International Conferences