Need for Cooperation and Collaboration

among Asian Physicists and Asian Physical Societies

Recently, the need for cooperation and/or collaboration among Asian physicists has increased substantially in many fields of physics, primarily because Asian contribution to physics is now extremely important and globally visible.  For example, in my research area of nuclear physics, ANPhA (Asian Nuclear Physics Association) was created a few years ago, and numerous discussions are in progress on recent and new accelerators in Asian countries.  The need of Asian collaboration and cooperation in this field is becoming vital these days.  I noticed many similarities in other fields as well.

When looking at these trends, I feel very strongly about creating a visible Physical Society in the Asian and Pacific regions, similar to the European Physical Society (EPS) and American Physical Society (APS).  In my tenure of ASPPS President, therefore, I have set two major goals.

The first goal is to establish this AAPPS as a true union for all Physical Societies in the Asian and Pacific regions.  So far, this AAPPS has not been well recognized among individual Physical Societies.  For example, in the Physical Society of Japan, AAPPS has not played any major roles.  I, therefore, discussed with many Physical Societies on the need of AAPPS.  Most of them responded seriously and positively about the necessity of having Asian union, to accelerate cooperation and collaboration.  Stronger actions have been eagerly awaited in China, Korea, Japan and other countries.  I would make our best effort to create stronger ties of AAPPS to all Physical Societies.

The second goal is to establish Divisional structure in AAPPS.  Physics covers a broad range of subfields.  Therefore, most of the Physical Societies have divisional structures on which smaller but more lively activities can be generated.  In Japan, we have two Physical Societies, JPS and JSAP.  There, about 40,000 members are in total, and the need of divisional structure clearly exists.  EPS and APS have similar structures as well.  I am hoping to gradually create a similar environment in AAPPS as well.

Asia is growing rapidly, and is becoming a world leader now.  Let us create the strongest AAPPS ever.