The Physical Society of Japan

The Physical Society of Japan (JPS) is an academic organization that boasts approximately 15,000 members, including researchers, educators, technicians, and students from both domestic and international backgrounds. It provides opportunities for research exchange among the members and platforms for presenting research findings both domestically and internationally. Additionally, it strives to facilitate research and educational activities, engage in nurturing talent for the next generation, disseminate various information related to physics to public, and contribute to the advancement of academia, industry, and public society, aiming to enhance the public welfare. As of 2023, approximately 64% of JPS members are affiliated with universities (with 16% being students), 11% with public research institutions, and 9% with industry.

The founding of our society dates back to 1877 when it was established as the "Tokyo Mathematical Society" (later renamed the Tokyo Mathematico-Physics Society) including mathematics, and it was the first scientific society in Japan. This foresight is noteworthy, considering that the German Physical Society was founded in 1845 and the American Physical Society in 1899. Just as the Mathematico-Physics Society's journal transformed into an English-language journal with Vol.4 (1888-1891), it contributed significantly to the establishment of modern Japan through its academic research that looked to the world from its inception and the development of our country's scholarship and science. After the war, the Mathematico-Physics Society was dissolved, and in 1946, the Physical Society of Japan was established, marking a new start. Despite the constrained conditions under the war, the society continued to lead research globally, resulting in a science boom among the populace during the post-war reconstruction period, fueled by the Nobel Prizes in Physics awarded to Hideki Yukawa and Sin-Ichiro Tomonaga. It can be said that the role played by JPS was significant in laying the foundation for our country's subsequent development.

By expanding its activities both domestically and internationally, JPS has made significant contributions to the global community of physics, exerting widespread influence on physics research worldwide as a scholarly hub on par with those in Europe and the United States. The society has entered into mutual agreements with many physics societies worldwide, such as the American Physical Society, the Korean Physical Society, and the German Physical Society, ensuring that members from each organization can participate in activities with equal qualifications. Moreover, with the rapid economic development of Asian countries in recent years to be significant academic players, there is increasing anticipation from the world towards the Physical Society of Japan. As a member organization playing a leading role in the Association of Asia Pacific Physical Societies (AAPPS), established in 1989, JPS promotes international cooperation for the advancement of physics within the region. Additionally, JPS engages in exchanges and collaborations with domestic and international organizations such as the Japan Academy and the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP), contributing significantly to the progress and development of science and technology, with physics at its core.

JPS publishes the "Butsuri", a membership journal in Japanese monthly, aiming to provide members with accessible introductions to the increasingly specialized landscape of physics across disciplinary boundaries. Additionally, JPS publishes the English-language journals JPSJ (Journal of the Physical Society of Japan) and PTEP (Progress of Theoretical and Experimental Physics) on monthly basis, along with the JPS Conference Proceedings as an international conference proceedings journal, irregularly, to widely disseminate physics papers submitted from both domestic and international sources to the world. Furthermore, based on recommendations from the editorial board, selected papers from the published articles are chosen, and easily comprehensible explanatory articles are created for researchers in related fields or other disciplines, which are then featured in JPS Hot Topics and JPSJ News and Comments. Additionally, JPS regularly publishes "Physics Education in University" magazine (issued three times a year) for the exchange of information related to physics education.

Every spring and fall, our society hosts academic conferences as its annual and spring/autumn meetings, providing platforms for research presentations, discussions, and exchanges. Approximately 5,000 members attend both the spring and autumn meetings. Additionally, during the conference period, we hold public science lectures aimed at local residents, addressing topics of current interest and providing accessible presentations ranging from the basics of physics to recent advancements, as part of our outreach activities. Moreover, we organize physics education symposia for educators in secondary education every year, facilitating discussions on various issues related to physics education in middle and high schools as well as its alignment with university education.

Collaborative activities with public and education through physics play a crucial role in our society. In addition to the public science lectures held during the afore-mentioned annual meeting periods, we conduct various activities aimed at students, citizens, and the general public to convey physics in an understandable manner and to stimulate interest. These activities include public lectures and online physics talks targeting youth and adults, as well as "Wonders of Nature - Physics Class" sessions for elementary and middle school students. Through these initiatives, we aim to make physics accessible and engaging for students, pupils, and citizens. During "Jr. Session", many middle and high school students present the results of their own research projects and receive significant stimulation from professional physicists' questions and comments. Furthermore, through the establishment of "Affiliate Members (Kaiyu)" system, we disseminate information on foundational to cutting-edge research in natural sciences including physics, to middle and high school students and general citizens, contributing to the improvement of scientific literacy. Additionally, we provide continuous support for physics-related activities organized by other groups, such as Physics Olympiads and basic experimental workshops beneficial for high school physics classes, to promote physics outreach activities effectively.

Our society is actively engaged in promoting diversity. We don't limit our efforts to gender equality activities but also strive to create an environment that accommodates international members who may not fully understand Japanese. As part of ournext-generation talent development project, we organize career support events connecting industry professionals with graduate students and researchers to support career development for student and young members. The afore-mentioned Jr. Session receives support from several sponsoring companies, providing an excellent opportunity for high school students to see the close connection between industry technology and physics. The significance of the Physical Society of Japan's commitment to career developments support for science and technology professionals goes beyond simply opening up opportunities for young talent and supporting them in entering various occupational fields. By engaging in these initiatives as a society, we aim to leverage the diverse skills and competencies cultivated through physics research across different fields, exploring more enriched future of public society.