Greetings from the New President

I have been appointed as the 2024 President of the IEICE Communication Society (IEICE- CS). I look forward to working with you all in the coming year.

Information communication technology underpins various socioeconomic activities and is one of the critical national infrastructures. Currently, in addition to facilitating communication between people, there is significant attention being paid to cyber-physical systems (CPS). These systems use information communication technologies to capture real-time information about the physical world, process that data, and derive future predictions and crucial judgments. Additionally, it is recognized that generative AI can enhance the efficiency of economic and social activities. Information communication technology enables people to use AI wherever they are, and multiple AIs are becoming interconnected. Furthermore, information communications will serve as a "lifeline" for humanity, ensuring continuity of human life and economic activities. This will be achieved by expanding information dissemination and by combining AI and information communications to prevent disruptions, automatically repair issues, or identify causes of problems.

The IEICE-CS aims to significantly contribute to the development of the information communications industry. We will actively pursue research activities through our research and editorial committees, in collaboration with industry and academia, to advance the study and technology of information communications, which is increasingly recognized as critical infrastructure supporting future society.

To advance information communication technologies that can be integrated into all aspects of future society and function as a global lifeline, it is essential to promote technological innovation through industry-academia collaboration and international cooperation from diverse and inclusive perspectives. The IEICE-CS is actively seeking new ways to strengthen these collaborations and continues to promote cross-disciplinary research groups and international conferences, such as ICETC, which operate directly under IEICE- CS.

To harness the benefits of research groups that unite industry and academia, the IEICE-CS will implement a policy called "See Me as I Am" to foster interaction between members of industry and academia responsible for supplying human resources to the information communications industry. It is essential for research groups to facilitate the transfer of human resources from academia to industry and to highlight industry talent. At top global conferences, companies recruit outstanding academic talent, thus ensuring a steady supply of skilled individuals. At the IEICE-CS, for example, we create connections by showcasing outstanding presentations at regular study groups to companies and awarding them. We actively promote exchanges between academic and corporate entities, enhancing the value of the IEICE-CS.

In our efforts to promote academic research with diversity and inclusiveness, we are planning activities that include cross-disciplinary research groups and collaborations with other societies. Currently, the IEICE-CS has established two Type 3 Research Special Committees: MIKA, specializing in innovative wireless communication technology, and RISING, focusing on super-intelligent networking. Recently, RISING has been holding panel discussions with researchers from the IEICE Electronics Society, fostering inter- society collaboration. These activities promote academic research in information communications through a cross-disciplinary approach to comprehensive knowledge.

From the perspective of international collaboration, we will continue to promote the globalization of academic society activities. Our English journals, IEICE Transactions on Communications and IEICE Communications Express (ComEX), have already migrated to IEEE Xplore, and the accepted papers are now open access, allowing researchers worldwide to read and cite them. In the future, we aim to improve the Impact Factor and increase submissions to these journals. We will also continue to hold our flagship international conference, ICETC, now in its fifth year. We will disseminate the latest research results from the IEICE-CS, build consensus on key technologies for next- generation information communications, and share a global vision that pursues values common to all humanity.

For the continuous development of information communication technology, it is important to expand the community supporting it. However, it is not just about increasing the number of academic society members. We must expand the community naturally by raising awareness about the exciting research we conduct through outreach. At IEICE-CS, where young students and teachers interact with industry, it is crucial not only to produce research papers on new technologies through cross-disciplinary and international collaboration but also to link these activities to the realization of social implementation in industry and academia. We must communicate globally that our research activities aim to enhance human well-being and social contributions, with a strong awareness that information communication will support future society. These continued efforts will lead to the development of human resources capable of building a robust, resilient, and secure information communications infrastructure, eventually creating a safe and prosperous future society.

We will do our utmost to contribute to the further development of the IEICE-CS. Therefore, we would be grateful for your understanding and cooperation.