Takayuki Kohchi,
JSPP President

I am Takayuki Kohchi at the Graduate School of Biostudies in Kyoto University and was elected to serve President of the Japanese Society of Plant Physiologists (JSPP) for the two-year period beginning March 22, 2022. I first had interest in JSPP when I obtained a position in Japan after completing my postdoctoral fellowship overseas. A colleague of mine had told me about an extraordinary academic society, so I attended the Annual Meeting, which prompted me to join the society. Over the ensuing three decades or so, as expected, I found it possible to enjoy numerous instances of stimulating engagement and experience in research activities, through presentations and discussions at Annual Meetings, the submission of papers to Plant and Cell Physiology (PCP), and the peer review process. I have also had the opportunity to be involved in the management of JSPP, an invaluable experience through which I have learned from observing researchers with high expertise and a strong commitment to research take on in a constructive manner the challenges that it provides. Though it is with trepidation that I accept the task of fulfilling the important role of President, I pledge to spend the next two years expending all efforts within my capacity to make even the smallest contribution to JSPP, a body that has so generously provided for my own growth.

Last summer, former President Maeshima approached ten members, including myself and the Executive Directors, with a request to analyze the current status of JSPP as an academic research organization, and to compile recommendations for actions to be taken in regard to matters such as the further promotion of the growth of the field of plant physiology and the participation and development of young researchers and female researchers. The results of multiple discussions regarding our thoughts on the basic approach to the future activities of the Society are summarized as follows. Over the course of my two-year tenure as president, I plan on seeing that this information is applied to future activities. 

1) JSPP is characterized by its cross-disciplinary and international nature. Another strength of JSPP is its ingrained commitment to free discussion by individuals who maintain constructive attitudes, as well as its capacity to promote new initiatives. JSPP never shies away from the task of appropriately reviewing our activities or introducing new initiatives in response to changing times.

2) The development of the next generation and the promotion of diversity are of critical importance to the growth of the Society. JSPP will offer support to graduate students (student members) so that they can enjoy their research and mold a vision for their future from an array of options. For general members (especially the younger members), the Society will provide support so that they may play an active role as researchers while maintaining a favorable work-life balance. JSPP will also promote activities to spark an interest in plant science on the part of high school students and undergraduates.

3) Research activities in the present day are inextricably linked to society at large. The expectation is that plant science research can contribute to creating solutions for the many issues that have global impact. Importance is placed on the ability of plant science research to forge stronger connections with society as a whole and to disseminate the right kind of information. JSPP will make an imprint on society by deepening our cooperative efforts with domestic and international academic groups and organizations, as well as by proactively messaging about the joint recommendations deemed necessary.

JSPP has a history of over 60 years, which in human terms means that it would now be considered a sexagenarian. As this age roughly corresponds to my own, the drawbacks of aging are hardly alien to me – and yet I have to say that it makes little sense to apply the dynamics of human aging to our Society. Without resting on our laurels afforded by tradition, it should be within our power to engage in activities that combine the enthusiasm infused by young researchers into JSPP with the wealth of experience of the collective body, including that of our senior members. Ideally, through the combined work of our membership we will enable the collective accomplishment of goals that individual researchers would otherwise be incapable of achieving on their own. I hope to promote activities that incorporate cooperation also with JCPP’s Executive Directors, including the Secretary General, as well as with the Steering Committee members and various other committee members so that our members are always able to share the kind of expectations in JSPP that I first embraced upon achieving membership. We welcome with open arms proactive feedback and suggestions from our members. Please feel free to make your voice heard.

As we have unfortunately had to live with the whims of the pandemic for the past two years, JSPP has been unable to hold in-person Annual Meetings for three consecutive times. We need to carefully analyze the impact of the pandemic. And yet, I feel that the efforts of the former Steering Committee members have enabled us to overcome many difficulties. I should also note that the rapid popularization of online communication methods has shown us that it is possible to engage in activities efficiently without wasting time or money. Though the restrictions on face-to-face activities have caused considerable stress, I hope to see that stress transformed into the capacity to proceed ahead with research activities that are free of restraint. As I long for the earliest possible containment of this pandemic, I look forward to seeing one and all soon.