SBJ President 　HATA Yoji (Gekkeikan Sake Co., Ltd.)




     24th SBJ President
   HATA Yoji
(Gekkeikan Sake Co., Ltd.)

I am Yoji Hata of Gekkeikan Sake Co., Ltd. and I have been appointed as the 24th President of the Society for Biotechnology, Japan (SBJ). It is true that I am apprehensive about being the first president of a private company, but I am determined to contribute to the development of the Society together with Dr. Hiroshi Shimizu (Osaka University) and Dr. Hideki Aoyagi (University of Tsukuba), two vice presidents from academia. I would like to ask for the understanding and cooperation of all the members of the SBJ.

 

< The 100th Anniversary of the Founding of the Society >

Last year marked the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Society, and under the leadership of former President Dr. Fukusaki, we were able to hold many commemorative events, including the 100th anniversary ceremony, award lectures, and the 100th anniversary symposium at the Senri Life Science Center on October 17, 2022. Although we were unable to hold the ceremony where all members could gather as originally planned due to the Corona disaster, I believe that we were able to share the anniversary events with many members by holding a hybrid event. In addition, several commemorative publications were published, including a history book on the 100th anniversary, "The 100th Anniversary of the Society for Biotechnology, Japan" and "Exploring the World of Biotechnology (English Edition)”. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the many individuals and organizations that have contributed to our centennial projects. 100 years is a major milestone in our history, but it is also the beginning of the next 100 years. We will continue our activities toward a new history, while maintaining the enthusiasm fostered by the centennial projects.

 

< Attractive Society for Industry, Academia and Government >

Since its foundation, SBJ has actively promoted collaboration between industry and academia, and has achieved many collaborative results. In recent years, however, the number of members and the number of presentations from industry at the annual meeting have declined significantly, and there is concern that industry may be leaving the Society. The attractiveness of the information provided by the Society has not diminished, as many participants from industry, academia, and government attend presentations at the annual meeting. To make the Society more attractive to both industry and academia, we need to promote the vitality of the annual meeting and further develop the activities of the Research Divisions. According to P. F. Drucker, “Innovation provides customers with newly created value.” It is necessary to go beyond mere discovery and invention to create value through social implementation. SBJ will be a driving force for such innovation, and we will strive to contribute to the creation of innovation in the fields in which we are involved.

 

< New Conference Style for the Post-Corona >

The spread of the new Corona virus caused many restrictions on our activities and inconveniences. The activities of the SBJ were also severely affected, with the annual meeting being canceled or held remotely. This year the corona virus outbreak has been contained, and we are returning to the situation before the corona virus outbreak. We have not only suffered from the corona virus disaster, but we have also learned a great deal. The style of the conference has changed, and the use of digital technology, such as online broadcasting, has become commonplace. The spread of digital technology has made it possible to conduct new conference activities regardless of time and place. This year, the face-to-face annual meeting will be held in Nagoya, and the 100th anniversary reception will be held, which was not possible last year. We will not only revive the pre-Corona style, but also seek new activities in the post-Corona period to increase the satisfaction of our members.

The purpose of the Society's activities is to develop and disseminate the relevant academic fields and to foster researchers and engineers. It is important for researchers and engineers from various fields to gather on the platform of SBJ and to engage in lively discussions. I hope that many members will continue to participate in the activities of SBJ and further deepen communication among members. Thank you very much for your cooperation.

 

June, 2023

 

The Society for Biotechnology, Japan
President
Yoji Hata

24th President HATA Yoji

 

Messages from the past presidents