The Chemical Society of Japan

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The annual meeting of CSJ for 2003 was held at the Nishi-Waseda Campus of Waseda University from March 18 - 21. On the second day of the meeting, the 19th of March, a celebration ceremony and a reception were held to commemorate CSJ's 125th anniversary with Their Majesties Emperor and Empress in attendance at Rihga Royal Hotel Tokyo, adjacent to the campus. In the evening of the same day, the celebration ceremony was held in the presence of Their Highnesses Prince and Princess Hitachi at the same hotel.

1.1 The Ceremony
The Emperor and Empress arrived at the hotel at 1:40PM and entered "Royal Hall" on the 3rd floor of the hotel where all the attendants welcomed them with a standing applause. After Professor T. Sawada, the master of the ceremony, declared the opening of the ceremony, Professor R. Noyori, the president of CSJ in 2002 gave the opening speech. Then, His Majesty the Emperor gave an very impressive address in which he referred to the contribution of the founders of the society, foreign teachers and chemists at the very beginning of modern science in our country as well as roles the society played after World War II.
After that Mr. Y. Mitarai, a vice minister on behalf of Ms. A. Toyama, the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, presented a speech, followed by words from Dr. S. Nagakura, the president of Japan Academy and Dr. Elsa Reichmanis, the president of American Chemical Society.
At this point, the Emperor and Empress left the hall and the ceremony proceeded to the installation of new foreign honorary members.

Professor Ronald Breslow (Columbia University, USA)

Professor Daryle H. Busch (University of Kansas, USA)

Professor Roald Hoffmann (Cornell University, USA)

Professor Yuan T. Lee (President of Academia Science, Taiwan)

Professor Jean-Marie Lehn (University Louis Pasteur, France)

Sir Harold Kroto (University of Sussex, UK)

After the presentation of certificates to each member from Professor R. Noyori, Professor R. Breslow gave an acceptance speech. Finally, Mr. H. Seya, the president of CSJ in 2003, made the concluding remarks to end the ceremony. About 600 members attended the ceremony, with representatives of world chemistry related organizations and chemical societies, such as;

Professor Pieter Steyn (President of IUPAC)

Professor Barry N. Noller (President of FACS)

Professor Howard. Alper (President of the Royal Society of Canada)

Professor Daoben Zhu (Vice President of Chinese Chemical Society)

Professor Francois Mathey (President, Societe Francais de Chimie)

Dr. Rudolf Staudigl (Vice President, Deucthe Gezelshaft von Chemie)

Professor Francesco De Angelis (Vice President, Chimica Italiana)

Professor Sang-Chul Shim (President of the Korean Chemical Society)

Sir Harold Kroto (President of The Royal Society of Chemistry)

Dr. Elsa. Reichmanis (President of American Chemical Society)

Professor S. M. Peng (President of the Chemical Society Located in Taipei)
Please refer to <HP of the Imperial Household Agency> for the address of the Emperor

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<Opening remarks by Prof. Noyori>	<The Emperor's address>

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<A view of the hall>	<Dr. Nagakura's Speech>

1.2 The Reception
The reception, a tea party, started at 3:00 p.m. when the Emperor and Empress intimately talked with about 120 attendants, consisting of foreign guests, past presidents of CSJ, awardees of CSJ young chemists award and more.

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<Talk with woman chemists>	<Talk with foreign guests>

1.3 Exhibition of Historical Materials of "Western Learning during the Edo Era"
This exhibition was submitted for the attendants of the memorial ceremony. The materials were collected mainly from books, documentary records and scientific equipment owned by Waseda University. Those items were reinforced by the materials from the Osaka Historical Museum, Kyou Library (Takeda Science Foundation), and Professor Shiba's private property.
The exhibition was not limited to only Chemistry. It demonstrated the achievements of the entire of natural science by the pioneers at the latter term of the Edo era. Portraits, books, and records by those pioneers called "Rangakusha" (Dutch learning scholar) were displayed. Those materials included several Important Cultural Properties of Japan such as "Chotei Kaitai Shinsho" (Revised Version of New Anatomy) with figures by Gentaku Otsuki, a portrait of Genpaku Sugita, "Shirando-shingenkai-zu". The Shirando-shingenkai-zu is a large size pictorial record of a new year's party to celebrate the new year by the western calendar. Rangakusha gathered at the Gentaku Otsuki's private school "Shirando" to celebrate and enjoy the new year for the first time in 1795 and the party continued over forty years.
Focusing on chemistry, the book "Seimikaiso" (Introductory Chemistry) by Yo-an Udagawa, the first text book of chemistry in Japan, and its original Dutch text book "Chemistry for Beginners and Devotees" by the Dutch chemist A. Ijpeij, was displayed. In addition, a house model of "Osaka Seimikyoku", where chemistry was taught for a couple of years from 1869 by Dr K. W. Gratama, the first principal and the founder of experimental chemistry in Japan, was displayed.
This exhibition had the honor of inspection by the Emperor and Empress in the afternoon and by the Prince and Princess Hitachi in the evening.

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<Listening to Prof. Tada, Wasada Univ.>	<Looking at an old map>

1.4 The Party
At six o'clock in the evening, the celebration party was held at "Royal Hall" on the 3rd floor of the hotel in the presence of Their Highnesses Prince and Princess Hitachi. Prof. R. Noyori presented a plate to installate the prince as a special honorary member with respect to his contribution to the society since he became a member of CSJ. The prince, in return, addressed his gratitude for the installation and his wish to continue his effort to support the society's activity.
"Orchestra Chimica", an orchestra established in June 2002, provided music to the glorious atomosphere, where about 500 members enjoyed conversation with the Prince and Princess and each other. Although the Prince and Princess left the room at seven o'clock, the party continued to eight o'clock with greetings from representatives of IIUPAC, FACS and sister chemical societies of foreign countries.

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<Speech by Prof. Aizawa>	<Presenting certificate to the Prince>

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<Toss by Mr. Tachi>	<Orchestra Chimica>

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