MESSAGE FROM NEW SECTION CHAIR (2009/2010)

- Hideki Imai, Professor at the Faculty of Science and Engineering of Chuo University -

  Starting January 2009, I am to be Chair of IEEE Tokyo Section. I have served as President of the IEEE Information Theory Society in the past, but it is too great an honor for me to serve as Chair to the Tokyo Section, one of the sections that have the longest history and play a central role in IEEE, and so I brace myself for the challenge. I look forward to working with the members to further enhance the activities of the Tokyo Section.
  The Tokyo Section has about 7,500 members and is one of the largest sections in membership among all the IEEE local sections. This year, a series of eight events celebrating the 125th anniversary of the founding of IEEE will take place in major world cities throughout the year, and the Tokyo has been chosen as one of the host cities.
  Also, it should be noted that there are 37 Chapters, or regional units of various IEEE societies, in the Japan Council, and the Tokyo Section is actively involved with the Council activities as well.
  Moreover, six significant achievements (such as unique products, services, seminal papers and patents) made by the Tokyo Section have been accredited as the IEEE Milestones. Each Milestone recognizes a significant innovation that occurred at least twenty-five years ago in areas of electrical, electronic, information and communications, and having regional and industrial impact. Six Milestones is the highest count in Asia-Pacific Region (Region 10).
  As mentioned above, the Tokyo Section has been making a glorious history and, in fact, it had constantly increased its members until recently while most other IEEE organizations suffered from a decline in their membership. However, over the past few years, the Tokyo Section has been no longer an exception on declining trend. Although this is a problem common to any academic society today, we may say that the Tokyo Section now stands at a critical point where it is asked to increase its appeal as a regional unit.
  For this purpose, it is important to promote more actively and increase the number of IEEE Fellows as well as various awards, and especially raise the awareness for an IEEE activity, called GOLD (Graduate of Last Decade), which is aimed for the young members who have graduated from college within 10 years, thus attracting more young members. However, the main source of the social appeal, I believe after all, is the active presence of our members in a wide range of areas.
  I would like to take this opportunity to wish all the members the continued success.

2009/2010 IEEE Tokyo Section Officers and Executive Committee
2009/2010 IEEE Tokyo Section Standing Committees