The activities of IRSF, a 1.4m infrared telescope operated under collaboration between Japan and South Africa, are presented brie y. The dedicated instrument, SIRIUS, which sits at the Cassegrain, has produced unique and prosperous science for 14 years. My talk involves; o concept of construction and operation, o publications and education, o the successive upgrading of the instrument, and o future plans.

The situations and locations of the Asian astronomical observatories are overviewed. I propose to construct a medium size Infrared Telescope at a good site in the Asian district.