In contrast to the “classical” Jurassic outcrops of Europe, the Jurassic of the much larger Pacific rim has been studied intensively only in the past few decades, and often by Europeans. Much of the circum-Pacific chronostratigraphy was created by Europeans using European standards, even European zonal names. Scientific interchange between Pacific-rim countries often remained minimal, and the creation of independent stratigraphic scales and standards, as usually required by the record, lagged. Furthermore, the Subcommission on Jurassic Stratigraphy (International Stratigraphic Commission) has consistently neglected the extra-European globe.

In 1979 we formed the Circum-Pacific Research Group, which in 1980 became affiliated with the International Geologic Correlation Program (UNESCO and IUGS) as Project 171 – Circum- Pacific Jurassic. The project was extended in 1985 and ended officially in 1987. Its aim was to assemble all workers (approximately 150) involved in Jurassic-related projects in the circum- Pacific area into an informal body for the following purposes: (1) to bring together workers from developing, sometimes politically isolated countries, as well as the often unknown foreign researchers working in those countries; (2) to exchange the latest research results in a newsletter; (3) to hold several field meetings, with UNESCO/IUGS financial support (held in Canada, Mexico, Argentina, and Japan); (4) to circulate special papers (eventually 17) on topical themes for immediate news dispersal; (5) to publish range and correlation charts in the Newsletters on Stratigraphy (parts 1–4 now published: Soviet Union, People's Republic of China, South America, Southeast Asia); and (6) to publish this synthesis in book form at the end of the project.