一般社団法人日本光学会

Toward the next decade

I am proud to be appointed as president of the Optical Society of Japan (OSJ). Following in the footsteps of the founding president, Prof. Kazuo Kuroda, former presidents Prof. Jun Tanida, Dr. Susumu Yamaguchi, and my immediate predecessor Prof. Yoshimasa Kawata, I am honored to serve as the fifth president of the society. Although I am keenly aware of my own limitations in succeeding a position after such distinguished leaders, I am committed to doing my utmost to further the development of our society. I sincerely ask for your continued support and cooperation.

OSJ, a General Incorporated Association, traces its origins back to the Optical Discussion Group established in 1952 within the Japan Society of Applied Physics (JSAP). It later became the Optical Society of Japan as a division of JSAP and was officially launched as an independent association in September 2014. The society now has a proud history and tradition spanning 73 years. Our main activities include publishing the Japanese-language journal Kogaku and the English-language journal Optical Review, organizing the annual academic conference Optics & Photonics Japan (OPJ), the Optics Symposium, and Winter Seminars. In addition, we operate 17 research groups and 5 industry-academia collaboration committees. International exchange is also active—we have signed agreements with seven overseas organizations: Optica, SPIE, The Optical Society of Korea (OSK), The European Optical Society (EOS), Taiwan Photonics Society (TPS), The Chinese Optical Society (COS), and The Chinese Society for Optical Engineering (CSOE). These partnerships are centered on mutual participation in each other’s annual meetings.

Currently, many academic societies in Japan are facing a decline in membership, particularly among student members and young professionals in industry. Statistics show that Japan has the lowest doctoral enrollment rate among OECD countries and that this rate has dropped by 21% since its peak in 2003. This decline is closely tied to Japan’s decreasing international competitiveness. There is an urgent need to provide environments for career development and skill enhancement for doctoral students. I believe the OSJ also needs to reform itself to become a society that better meets the needs of society at large.

I have been involved with the OSJ since I was a student, and I served as General Affairs Secretary from 2000 to 2001. Through assisting the Executive Secretary at that time, I gained insight into the inner workings of the society. I also witnessed firsthand the efforts of younger members to reform the society out of concern for its future, as mentioned by our former president, Dr. Kawata. I believe their passion played a major role in the incorporation of the society a decade ago. I hope this enthusiasm will be passed on to the next generation, helping to enhance Japan’s competitiveness. Together with all of you, I am committed to revitalizing and advancing our society. I sincerely appreciate your continued support.

May 2025