No Growth of the JSPP Without the Growth of PCP
It is a great honor for me to serve as President of the Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists (JSPP). Building upon the tradition and achievements established by my predecessors and many dedicated members of our Society, I will devote myself over the next two years to ensuring its continued growth and development.
As I begin my term, I have identified three priorities for the Society: 1. the steady implementation of MIRAI 2030, 2. the further development of our journal Plant & Cell Physiology (PCP), and 3. the internationalization of our annual meeting through stronger partnerships with overseas plant science societies.
The first, MIRAI 2030, was initiated and promoted by my predecessor, Junko Kyozuka. It is a visionary program that builds upon the strong financial foundation of our Society and invests in the next generation of plant scientists who will shape our future. The program is centered on supporting the international activities of early-career researchers while simultaneously enhancing the international visibility of JSPP and PCP and promoting diversity within our annual meetings. Its major initiatives include support for two- to three-month research stays in overseas laboratories (MIRAI 2030 International Fellowship–Medium Term), travel grants for participation in international conferences (MIRAI 2030 International Fellowship–Conference), and funding for inviting overseas researchers to Japan (MIRAI 2030 International Invitation). As these programs are implemented, we will carefully evaluate their effectiveness and continuously refine them to maximize their impact. Announcements will be made through JSPP email communications and our website, and I strongly encourage our members to take advantage of these opportunities. I would also greatly appreciate your suggestions and ideas for improving the program.
The second is PCP. Over the years, JSPP has advanced plant science in Japan through its annual meetings, committee activities, outreach programs, and academic publications. At the center of these activities stands Plant & Cell Physiology. PCP is much more than a venue for publishing scientific papers. It is a cornerstone of the Society, enhancing our international visibility, nurturing young scientists through initiatives such as the Budding Editor Program, and providing essential financial support for our activities. JSPP has a profit-sharing agreement with Oxford University Press (OUP), the publisher of PCP, under which 55% of the journal’s profits are returned to the Society. In practice, this revenue constitutes one of the major financial resources supporting our activities and forms the foundation for the Society’s sustainable development. The future of JSPP is therefore closely tied to the success of PCP.
For this reason, I would like to share with all members a simple but important conviction: “There can be no growth of the Society without the growth of PCP.” If the quality and visibility of PCP decline, submissions and subscriptions will inevitably decrease, weakening the Society’s financial foundation and ultimately limiting its activities. Conversely, if PCP becomes more attractive and gains greater international recognition, it will attract outstanding research, increase its visibility, and generate a positive cycle of more submissions, more citations, and greater impact. Strengthening this positive feedback loop is one of the most important challenges facing our Society.
Under the outstanding leadership of Editor-in-Chief Tetsuya Higashiyama, significant efforts are already underway to enhance the value of PCP through a stronger editorial system, rapid and fair peer review, and the organization of exciting special issues. However, the success of these initiatives ultimately depends on the active participation of every member of the Society. Publishing your best work in PCP, providing thoughtful and rigorous peer review, and serving as an editor are all direct contributions to the future of JSPP. I hope we can all embrace the idea of developing our own society journal through our own scientific excellence. The Society will also strengthen the visibility and utilization of PCP by appointing a new officer dedicated to promoting the journal and by further reinforcing our partnership with OUP. More details on these initiatives will be introduced in due course.
The third is international collaboration. Since 2017, JSPP has developed a close partnership with the Taiwan Society of Plant Biologists (TSPB), and together we have organized four joint symposia (TJPB 2017 and 2023, JTPB 2019 and 2026). In addition, since 2024 we have established concrete collaborative activities with the American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB). These include networking events for early-career researchers at Plant Biology 2024 and JSPP–ASPB Joint Symposia at the ASPB Milwaukee meeting in 2025 and the JSPP Tokyo meeting in 2026. Another joint symposium is already planned for the ASPB Albuquerque meeting in 2027. Through memoranda of understanding with both TSPB and ASPB, JSPP members are eligible to attend their annual meetings at member registration rates, with reciprocal arrangements for their members to attend JSPP meetings. Furthermore, we have recently begun dialogue with the Australian Society of Plant Scientists (ASPS) regarding future collaboration. By strengthening these partnerships across the Pacific region, we hope to encourage greater participation in each other’s annual meetings and, above all, to expand the international networks of our early-career researchers.
Finally, I would like to make a sincere request to all members. Please submit your outstanding research to PCP, and please continue to support the journal through peer review and editorial service. The future of JSPP is inseparable from the future of PCP. By strengthening our own journal and enhancing its value, we will contribute not only to the Society but also to the future of plant science in Japan. Perhaps, because we value humility, we do not always express sufficient pride in our own society journal. However, PCP is an international journal originating from Japan of which we can be genuinely proud. During my two-year term, I hope to foster a culture in which every member takes pride in PCP and actively supports its continued growth.
I sincerely look forward to working together with all of you in pursuing this challenge and advancing our Society to an even brighter future.
