It is a great pleasure to announce that the Seventh Japan–China–Korea Grassland Conference will be held in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan on July 8 - 10, 2018. The first conference was held in Hiroshima, Japan in 2004. Then the conference has been developed and held in Lanzhou, China in 2006, in Seoul, Korea in 2009, in Aichi, Japan in 2012, at Changchun, China in 2014, and in Jeju, Korea in 2016. Grasslands produce large amounts of forage for ruminants, maintain soil fertility, protect and conserve soil and water resources, store carbon in the terrestrial ecosystem, create a habitat for wildlife, and provide recreational space for sports and leisure. As well as these general benefits, grasslands are important for maintaining sustainable economic outputs and ecosystem services. To establish robust grassland and forage production systems is necessary for population growth and climate change. The objective of this conference is to deliberate on issues relating genetics and breeding, physiology of forage crops, bioenergy crops and turf, ecology of grasslands, forage and grassland production, grassland management, quality evaluation, forage utilization and livestock production as well as environment impacts and ecosystem services in grasslands, with the aim of further scientific networks among the Asian countries (including other countries of Japan, China, and Korea) for the development of scientific activities in Asian countries. Hokkaido located in the northernmost area of Japan has approximately 70% of the grassland in Japan, and grassland farming in Hokkaido is very important for its agriculture. Sapporo city is one of Japan’s major cities with a population of 1.95 million and plays a central role in the transportation, administration and economy of Hokkaido. Sapporo is also a popular tourist spot with many delicious restaurants. Summer is a season with clear blue skies and an abundance of refreshing greenery. We cordially invite you and your colleagues for the Seventh Japan–China–Korea Grassland Conference (GCS2018) to be held in Sapporo. The venue for the conference is the conference hall, Hokkaido University, just near center of the Sapporo city.

The Symposium will be divided into five sub-themes Genetics, breeding and physiology of forage crops, bioenergy crops and turf Forage production, management and quality evaluation Forage utilization and livestock production Sustainability and environmental issues Asian grassland science networks