The HISTELCON (HISTory of ELectrotechnology CONference) is a flagship biennial-conference of the IEEE Region 8, but this time HISTELCON 2017, the 5th in its series (after HISTELCON 2008 in Paris, HISTELCON 2010 in Madrid, HISTELCON 2012 in Pavia, and HISTELCON 2015 in Tel Aviv), will be held at Graduate School of Applied Informatics, University of Hyogo, Kobe, Japan, on August 7 & 8 in 2017, cosponsored by all of nine IEEE Sections in Japan and technically cosponsored by the IEEE Region 8. As the General Chair, I would like to deliver a few words of welcome address in what follows.
HISTELCON 2017 will focus mainly on the scientific incentive and the development methodology as well as the technological impact on human society of any innovation achieved so far in the field of electrical engineering and computing. Thus, it will welcome all papers on the historical expertise of any scientific and technological achievement, which has already been approved as an IEEE Milestone or may be a possible candidate for the IEEE Milestone. In addition, the campus of Graduate School of Applied Informatics, University of Hyogo, and the surrounding Kobe Port-Island Area with their intensive high-tech activities including the RIKEN’s K computer, one of the highest caliber of supercomputers in the world, will offer an excellent venue for this meeting.
It should be added that as most people may know, on January 17 in 1995 the Great Hanshin Earthquake of M 7.3 struck Kobe city and the surrounding areas, causing the catastrophic damage of more than 6,000 deaths, more than 150,000 collapsed homes, and over 300,000 people evacuated to more than 1,000 shelters. Therefore, we hope that HISTELCON 2017 will bring significant benefits to the attendees in terms of not only acquiring technical expertise but also observing miraculous post-quake recovery of Kobe.

Isao Shirakawa
General Chair of HISTELCON 2017