January 8, 2023.

The Japanese Society for Photomedicine and Photobiology
Chief director, Tadamichi Shimizu

　I am Tadamichi Shimizu of the University of Toyama, and I am pleased to have been appointed Chief Director of the Society, succeeding former Chief director Akimichi Morita, and to carry out the responsibilities of this position.
　The Society was founded in 1978 by Professor Nobuyuki Mizuno as the Society for the Study of Photomedicine and Photobiology, the predecessor of this society. Our philosophy is: "We believe that when people from different fields related to light gather together to critique and examine issues in other fields from their own perspectives, they can avoid self-righteous concepts and lead to universal principles, and that research in other fields can also serve as a starting point for new themes in their own fields." Researchers in a wide range of specialized fields, such as medicine, biology, chemistry, engineering, agriculture, science, pharmacology, and physics, gather under one roof to discuss research results analyzed using research methods that can be shared in the field of "light".
　My personal history in the field of photomedicine began in 1991 when I studied abroad in Miami, USA. In the 1970s, Professor J Wayne Streilein proposed that skin is an important organ that regulates immunity; a new concept of Skin-associated Lymphoid Tissues (SALT). He has conducted a great deal of work on the effects of ultraviolet radiation on skin immunity and laid the foundation for my subsequent work in photomedicine.
　The most important feature of this society is that it transcends a single specialty. The annual conference is a valuable opportunity for young researchers in various fields to present their research results. It is our hope that the conference will develop human resources and contribute to future society, even if only in a small way. Furthermore, the construction of a sustainable society, which is one of the world's most difficult issues these days, requires comprehensive wisdom, and it requires people to take up the challenge without staying within the conventional framework. We hope that our society will be a place that supports the activities of researchers and engineers.
　This time, I asked Professor Takakazu Nakabayashi to be the Vice Chief Director. With the cooperation of the directors, secretaries, councilors, various committee members, and members, we will make a sincere effort for the further development of our society. I would like to ask for your continued support and cooperation.