The MIF held the 2024 Tokyo Meeting at Arcadia Ichigaya on September 28. The fellows, their host professors, and MIF members attended, and the meeting was a great opportunity for exchange.

At the beginning of the event, everyone observed a moment of silence to pray for the repose of the soul of the former Chairperson of the MIF, Tatsuro Matsumae, who passed away recently.
Then, on behalf of the Foundation, Toshiaki Hashimoto, Chairman of the Board of Directors, said, “I am delighted that all the fellows have had the opportunity to interact with each other. Together with you, I would like to continue carrying on the philosophy of Dr. Shigeyoshi Matsumae, the founder of the MIF. I hope you will continue to contribute to the development of your home countries.”

The fellows then gave presentations about their research, culture, and the history of their home countries. They also discussed the current status and prospects of their research aimed at developing their countries and resolving social issues, including the industrialization of fruit trees native to their home countries, research on cell synthesis technology for new gene therapy, and the development of new plastic recycling technology.

After the presentations, a reception was held. Participants were seen enthusiastically exchanging opinions about each other’s research and future possibilities. One participant commented, “I gained a great deal of stimulation from being exposed to research in a wide range of fields that I would not normally have the opportunity to learn about. This kind of exchange was possible only because of the MIF. I want to thank everyone who made this wonderful opportunity possible.” Another participant said, “I gained new motivation through exchanges with other researchers. I want to thank the MIF from the bottom of my heart for giving me the precious experience of working on joint research with Japanese researchers.”